Days after UN’s Humanitarian Coordinator for Nepal, Matthew Kahane, was reported to have told an Indian news agency that India’s help in keeping Terai groups under control would be enormously helpful, the UN has tried to play down his comments.

According to the Reuters, the United Nations sought, on Friday, to play down reported remarks by a senior UN official suggesting India should rein in rebel groups in Nepal, saying he did not mean New Delhi controlled them.

The Press Trust of India had, last week, quoted Matthew Kahane, as telling: “Some of these groups that are making life difficult in Terai may have some kind of links in North India…”

“It would be enormously helpful if Indian authorities are able to to keep these people under control,” Kahane was quoted as saying.

The Reuters report adds that a UN statement seeking to “clarify” the remark said: “His comments were not intended to suggest that the Government of India has influence over Nepalese groups that have recently been limiting the steady flow of essential goods into the Terai region of Nepal, such as food.”

“India is an important partner in the region and we appreciate very much the unfailing and long-standing assistance and support that India has provided to the United Nations and, more importantly, to the people of Nepal.”

On Thursday, the world body had said that Kahane “was not speaking on instructions,” adding: “We will see that he sets the record straight upon his return to Kathmandu.”

Moreover, just after Kahane’s comment to PTI, the same news agency had interviewed Home Minister Krishna Sitaula who had said, “The people and the government of India have extended moral and political support to Nepal’s democratic movement in 2006 and Nepal has been receiving decisive help and cooperation from the government of India in her ongoing peace process and elections to the constituent assembly.” nepalnews.com sd Feb 03 08