Leaders of various political parties have described the letter sent to the United Nations by the government and Maoists asking the world body’s assistance in Nepal’s peace process, a positive step towards restoring peace in the country.

Speaking at an interaction in the Reporters Club, they said that though the letter is not a complete document for the arms management, it has been able to resolve differences between the Maoists and the government.

Vice-Chairman of People’s Front Nepal Lila Mani Pokhrel said that political settlement is the crucial point for arms management, adding, “Decommissioning of the Maoist army is not possible as the ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists had agreed to give equal status to both armies.”

He said the political forces of the country should move towards holding elections of the constituent assembly rather than dispute in minor things and be involved in the day-to-day activities of the parliament.

Nepali Congress Ram Chandra Poudel (File Photo)

Ram Chandra Poudel, General Secretary of Nepali Congress said that the agreement has paved the way for moving ahead leaving the minor differences.

He however urged the Maoists to join the politics of competition leaving the politics of power and weapons as agreed in various agreements reached between political parties and the Maoists.

He underlined the need of managing the rebels arms before the elections of the constituent assembly, saying, “There will not be fair competition among the different forces.”

Speaking at the same programme, a member of the Maoists talks team, Dev Gurung, alleged that the parliamentary political parties are turning away from the historic eight point agreement between ruling seven party alliance and the Maoists.

He termed the common letter sent to the UN as an historic achievement adding, the letter resolved the minor differences between the political parties and the Maoists.

He stressed the need of dissolving the incumbent parliament immediately and forming an interim legislature and interim government to move towards the election of the constituent assembly to foil the ploys of unseen power centres to derail the peace process.

Security expert Indra Jit Rai said that the political parties and the Maoists should enter into the political agendas without bothering about the arms management as there was no major threat from the Maoist arms.

He said that the issue of arms management could be settled along with the political issue.

The government and the Maoists on Wednesday submitted identical letters to the UN asking the world body’s help in managing arms and to assist Nepal peace process.

The high level UN team that returned to New York via New Delhi after completing its assessment visit of Nepal last week– had asked the government and the Maoists to find consensus on the issue of arms management after the government and the Maoists had sent separate letters to the UN Secretary General Kofi Anann, which differed mainly on the issue of arms management.