Err on the side of caution: Landgren

HIMALAYAN NEWS SERVICE

KATHMANDU: Chief of departing United Nations Mission in Nepal Karin Landgren today said parties’ failure on forming an alternative measure to ensure post-UNMIN monitoring would lead Nepal’s peace process to an increased risk.

“This is clearly a risk, and it is a risk understood by all parties,” said Landgren when asked what happens if parties do not reach an agreement on who would take charge of UNMIN. “After all of the work that has gone into this process since 2006,

it would be unfortunate to let it slip because of a failure to arrange for monitoring.”

Landgren’s remarks today came just five days ahead of UNMIN’s scheduled departure from Nepal. Landgren was addressing her last press conference as UNMIN head today.

Landgren also defended her January 5 briefing to the Security Council. Her briefing that ‘there have been fears over the prospect of a people’s revolt; of the President stepping in; or of an army-backed coup’ had ruffled many a feather in Nepal. “This is a factual statement about local perceptions. These fears have been shared with me,” said Landgren, adding that they were not a UN warning nor a UN assessment of risk. She claimed that the briefing had been ‘misrepresented’.

At today’s press briefing, Landgren said she was confident about parties’ ability to reach ‘some agreement before January 15, when UNMIN departs from Nepal, closing its monitoring of the arms and armies of both Maoist combatants and the Nepali Army.

The political parties are yet to strike a deal on replacing UNMIN. “From UNMIN’s perspective, that (agreement on future monitoring arrangements) is the single most important thing to agree on in the next five days,” added Landgren.

She made it clear that handover of UNMIN’s monitoring logistics to the government of Nepal would be based on parties’ ability to reach an agreement on future of monitoring arrangements. “If the parties cannot come to an agreement by the end of the mandate, UNMIN will have no choice but to remove the valuable monitoring equipment.” To be a witness to UNMIN’s closing ceremony on Friday night, Nepal handler at the UN Department of Political Affairs Tamrat Samuel is arriving from New York, she said.