New York- The report would have been more balanced if it had taken into account the sincere efforts made by the government of Nepal in addressing key issues of the peace process and in resolving outstanding issues for creating conducive environment for making further progress thereof.

 

(6 November 2009, New York)

Mr. President,

At the outset, let me congratulate you for Austria’s assuming of Presidency of the Security Council for the month. I would like to thank you for organizing this discussion and for the opportunity the Council has given me to speak on behalf of Nepal.

(Orally added: Thanks also for your kind words towards me. I also thank The Representative of the Secretary General for her kind words towards me)

I would like to thank the Secretary-General for his comprehensive report dated 26 October on UN’s assistance in support to the peace process in Nepal. I would also like to thank Ms. Karin Landgren, Representative of the Secretary-General and head of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) for her presentation highlighting the major issues and developments since the Council extended the mandate of the Mission last July.

Mr. President,

Nepal’s nationally-driven peace process in unique in its characteristics. Since it started in June 2006, the peace process has made remarkable achievements and has completed several important milestones. The signing of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement in November 2006, successful election to the Constituent Assembly in April 2008 and declaration of Nepal as a federal democratic republic in May that year represent some of the singular achievements of the peace process. The Council is aware that Nepal’s most-inclusive Constituent Assembly is moving ahead constructively in the task of writing a new constitution in accordance with the aspiration of the people of Nepal. The constituent parties of present coalition government and the political parties outside it have expressed their sincere desire to conclude the task of promulgation of a new constitution reflecting the sentiments of people of all strata of society in Nepal by May 2010.  Various thematic committees of the Constituent Assembly have been seriously engaged in this task, in which there is strong participation and cooperation from all sides. After the election of the Chairman of the Constitutional Committee, which is entrusted to produce a draft of new constitution, the task of constitution-making has gained further momentum.

Similarly, the important business of integration/rehabilitation of the UCPN (Maoist) armed personnel currently living in the cantonments is being undertaken by the statutory Special Committee entrusted with this task. The Committee has been reconstituted including the representatives of the UCPN (Maoist) and has since been meeting to devise practical guidelines, its program of work and format of a political agreement on this subject. We are confident that the Special Committee and its Technical Committee would complete the remaining task of reaching an agreement on all issues related to the future of the cantonments.  Similarly, there has been a significant progress regarding the release of under-age and disqualified armed personnel in the cantonments and this process is likely to conclude soon.

Mr. President,

The United Nations Mission in Nepal, UNMIN, has been doing its job in accordance with the mandate of this Council, including in the monitoring of the arms and armed personnel as per our request as stipulated in the peace agreements. It is our intention to conclude as soon as possible the tasks of UNMIN within its mandate duration by 23 January 2010. For that, the government of Nepal is committed doing everything including in reaching necessary political agreements required for the logical conclusion of the peace process.

In that regard, I would like to refer to a meeting held yesterday (November 5) among the representatives of 22 parties that constitute the coalition in the present government. In that meeting, the parties have expressed their commitment to bringing the peace process to a logical conclusion and bringing about a new constitution through the elected Constituent Assembly. They have also asked the UCPN (Maoist) to withdraw their continuing blocking of the legislative session of the Constituent Assembly to allow the budget to be passed and to withdraw their agitation programs including the blockades of government offices in other areas saying such programs are against the spirit of the peace agreements. They have also asked the UCPN (Maoist) to be flexible for cooperation and consensus on matters related to peace process to avoid further escalation and confrontation among the parties to the peace process. Referring to the report of the Secretary-General on the nature of the government in Nepal, the constituent parties of the government are of the view that it is up to the parties and the sovereign legislature in Nepal to decide on the type of the government and that they are always open to include all the parties in the government and have specifically asked the UCPN (Maoist) to join the coalition.

The report would have been more balanced if it had taken into account the sincere efforts made by the government of Nepal in addressing key issues of the peace process and in resolving outstanding issues for creating conducive environment for making further progress thereof.

Similarly, it is the view of the government that the references in the report implying parity between the regular national army and the former rebel combatants living in the UN monitored cantonments, who may have to be either integrated in the security forces or rehabilitated in the society and families, is not likely to assist a positive outcome in the ongoing negotiations on the future of the cantonments. 

It is important to note that senior political leaders of major political parties are talking to each other and it is expected that they will soon reach an agreement to resolve the current impasse in the legislative parliament and to end the street agitation so that they would be able to move forward in the spirit of dialogue and consensus stipulated in the peace agreements. 

Despite occasional setbacks, Nepal’s peace process has been taking significant strides. It may sometime seem like it is moving one step backward, but it will eventually end up moving two step forwards. That is how we have been able to come this far. We are confident that same spirit will guide our process to its rational end. In this important process, we ask you to stay the course and help us achieve the desired outcome assisting us in building on the progress and momentum that we have made so far.

On a personal note, since this will be my last statement in the Council, as I will be completing my tour of duty as Permanent Representative next week, I would like to thank each one of you individually and the Security Council collectively for the constructive cooperation that you provided in support of the peace process in Nepal and to me personally.

I thank you Mr. President.

Permanent Mission of Nepal to the UN

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