KATHMANDU, AUG 24 -
Three options are under discussion among political parties and within the government itself before taking a final call on the fate of the UNMIN, the United Nations political mission tasked to supervise and monitor the arms and armies of the Nepal Army and Maoist combatants.

UNMIN chief Karin Landgren on Tuesday held a meeting with caretaker Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and discussed the future of the UN’s body after Sept.15. The meeting was mostly dwelt on the UNMIN’s fate.

During the talks, Landgren requested the prime minister that the UN Security Council is meeting next week in New York and asked him to dispatch a letter in advance. “The prime minister informed her that he will be holding a meeting with major political parties and stakeholders before reaching an agreeable conclusion and will inform the Security Council accordingly,” said Rajan Bhattarai, prime minister’s foreign affairs advisor.

Landgren is leaving for New York to participate in the Security Council meeting.

Bhattarai said three alternatives are being discussed about the UNMIN among the political fraternity and the parties are intensifying their internal discussion. “There is a strong voice from one corner that the UNMIN should not stay here and thus no extension is needed before Sept.15. Second, the UNMIN’s mandate should be curtailed to make its roles more effective. And thirdly, its tenure should be renewed,” said Bhattrai.

However, Bhattarai is convinced that without striking a suitable pact among the parties about its proper job description, an appropriate mechanism for the alternative of the UNMIN could be wrong. “Apart from seeking an alternative, it’s better to ask the UNMIN to maintain its neutrality if the decision is made to renew its term,” he said.

The prime minister has started holding consultations with senior government officials on the UNMIN’s fate. Officials from the Prime Minister’s Office, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, and Nepal’s Permanent Representative to UN Gyan Chandra Acharya advised the prime minister that the international community has expressed dismay for not making tangible progress in the peace process and the UNMIN is suffering due to the protracted political standoff.

Posted on: 2010-08-25 08:11

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