Mistura encouraged by govt., Maoist agreement

August 10, 2006
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Head of the United Nations (UN) high level assessment mission to Nepal Staffan de Mistura has said that he was encouraged by the agreement between the government of Nepal and Maoists rebels to seek UN help in Nepal’s peace process.

Staffan de Mistura

Staffan de Mistura (File Photo)
Mistura informed that he would deliver a report to UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan this week so the world body can decide on its involvement in the peace process, a UN website said.

Mistura said the requests were received in the form of two identical letters, one undersigned by the Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and the other by the Chairman of the CPN (M) Prachanda.

He also said that he was “strongly encouraged” by the requests, particularly the to the UN to assist in the best way possible to proceed on the “most delicate aspect” of arms management.

“The good news is everybody wants the to be UN involved, everybody wants the UN in assisting the peace process which is potentially fragile and should not be allowed to be kept fragile,” he said.

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.