Senior vice-minister for Foreign Affairs of Japan, Yasuhisa Shiozaki. (Photo source: worldsecuritynetwork)

Japanese Senior Vice Foreign Minister Yasuhisa Shiozaki Saturday said that Japan was ready to send observers in the would-be constituent assembly elections in Nepal.
Speaking at a press met at the end of his two-day visit to Kathmandu, Shiozaki said, “If proposal comes from Nepal’s government, we are ready to send election monitoring mission so that free and fair [constituent assembly] elections could be held.”

The Japanese delegate noted that management of arms was the most crucial part of Nepal’s peace process and expressed optimism that the issue of arms management would be settled before the formation of an interim government.

“We hope that things will settle down before the establishment of interim government with regard to how to manage and control the arms of Maoist group,” said he.

Shiozaki also quoted Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala as saying that equal treatment to the Maoist forces and the Nepali Army was not possible as the “Maoists are a group while the government is sovereign.” He had met with PM Koirala on Friday.

The Japanese minister, who during his stay pledged Rs 600 million grant to Nepal for development of communication system, also stressed the need for unity among the seven political parties and added that reconstruction infrastructure needed to gain pace.

He said Japan would coordinate with the United Nations in the peace process in Nepal. “UN team is here to scrutinize what could be the role of UN in Nepal’s peace process. We will coordinate with the UN and identify our role,” said he.

Shiozaki who had arrived in Kathmandu on Friday on a goodwill visit returned home this afternoon.