The Unified CPN (Maoist) has proposed to retain a different unit of the United Nations (UN) to take over the role of UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) after its term expires on January 15 as its efforts to convince the other parties and the UN to extend the UNMIN term failed.

The UCPN (Maoist) proposed to retain UN presence to monitor its cantoned combatants as well as Nepal Army (NA) at a meeting of top leaders of the three largest parties in the Constituent Assembly (CA) – Unified CPN (Maoist), Nepali Congress (NC) and UML – at Singha Durbar Thursday.

Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal had called the meeting after Maoist chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal urged him Wednesday to reconsider the government stance on not retaining UN for monitoring of the combatants and the national army post January 15.

Nepali Congress and UML are against the idea of retaining UN presence for monitoring saying the secretariat under the Army Integration Special Committee (AISC) would take over the role of UNMIN.

Maoist vice chair Narayan Kaji Shrestha told reporters after the meeting, the parties have agreed to retain a team of UN for monitoring the cantonments after UNMIN term expires, on principle.

We will meet again to discuss the details after internal discussions within the parties, said Shrestha.

However, PM Nepal and NC leaders have ruled out the possibility of retaining UN presence for monitoring Nepal Army.

NC has said, retaining UN presence could be considered if Nepal Army is freed from its monitoring.

UCPN (Maoist) had been lobbying for UNMIN term extension, although it was certain that the UN Security Council (UNSC) would not backtrack on its decision to wrap up its mission in Nepal on January 15. nepalnews.com