Peace in a pass, says Pascoe

Himalayan News Service

KATHMANDU: With UNMIN’s departure less than six weeks away, visiting UN Under-Secretary-General B Lynn Pascoe today said Nepal’s peace process is in a “critical phase” and urged political leaders to move very quickly to resolve the issues of integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants, power-sharing and the drafting of a new statute.

Pascoe, speaking at an UNMIN-organised press conference, said, “We have a process now with six weeks to go and it is very important that things be in place when UNMIN leaves so that the process will move forward smoothly.” “It is essential that the details of any monitoring regime be worked out as a follow-on to UNMIN’s withdrawal from the cantonments.”

During his two-day stay in Kathmandu, he held whirlwind discussions with top government officials, party leaders and foreign diplomats on peace and constitution making efforts.

He made it clear that UNMIN, whose current term expires on January 15, 2011, will not get another extension, but hastened to add that Nepal will remain on the Security Council agenda for three years even after the closure of UNMIN. Therefore, it will be very important that we continue to be engaged to do everything we can to help the process move forward, he maintained. A source privy to the matter informed that the UN headquarters would direct its country office to assume such a responsibility after UNMIN’s departure.

During his meetings, Pascoe pressed political leaders to move forward with the spirit of consensus and compromise for the completion of peace and constitution making processes. “I heard differing views on this trip, disagreements in some areas. But I am convinced that these different views are bridgeable,” he said. The UN political head met President Dr Ram Baran Yadav, CA Chairman Subas Nembang, acting Prime Minister Bijay Kumar Gachhadar, Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala and leaders of all major parties, including UCPN-Maoist Chairman Puspa Kamal Dahal and Nepali Congress President Sushil Koirala.

Pascoe, a former US diplomat, also exchanged views on the peace process with members of the Special Committee and members of the diplomatic corps, including ambassadors of the five permanent members of the UN Security Council and India.