100 days of opportunity: Pascoe

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: United Nations Under Secretary General B Lynn Pascoe today urged the political parties to complete the integration and rehabilitation of former Maoist combatants in next 100 days — before the final term of United Nations Mission in Nepal ends.

“I encourage the parties to view this period as 100 days of opportunity to demonstrate to the Nepali public and International Community their obligation to fulfil their commitments,” Pascoe said at a press briefing today.

The UN official, who arrived yesterday on a two-day visit, held a series of discussions with top leaders of the political parties and Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, Deputy Prime Minister Sujata Koirala, Defence Minister Bidhya Bhandari and CA Chairman Subas Nembang.

Reiterating that UNMIN will no longer stay in Nepal beyond January 15, Pascoe expressed commitment that the UN would continue to support the peace process through its agencies. “We will be coming to help. We will be trying to carry on dialogue and work with you. But it will have to be done without the benefits of UNMIN being on the ground full time,” said Pascoe. During his meeting with Pascoe yesterday, Prime Minister Nepal had told him that Nepal needed UN support for rehabilitation of the Maoist combatants even after UNMIN’s departure.

Referring to his meeting with Defence Minister Bhandari, Pascoe said he had raised issues of impunity and need for democratisation in the Nepali Army.

Pascoe’s visit to Nepal was aimed at assessing the progress in the implementation of the four-point agreement reached between the government and the UCPN-M (regarding the peace process) and preparations for smooth transition in the post-UNMIN scenario.

Pascoe today held discussions with members of the Special Committee (for integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants), said Nepali Congress’ representative in the committee Ram Sharan Mahat.

The UN chief for political affairs later today left for New York, where he will present a report on Nepal before the Security Council on October 15.