Chief of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) Karin Landgren has asked the political parties of the country to respect the Comprehensive Peace Agreement (CPA) that was signed between the then Seven Party Alliance and the Maoists when the latter formally ended their ten-year insurgency in 2006.
Ms. Landgren on Thursday met with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal and raised concern on the statement made by the Defence Minister Bidya Devi Bhandari who had recently said that the CPA needed amendment.
“I raised the statements made by the Defence Minister,” she told reporters adding, “Our view is that the CPA needs to should be implemented by all the parties, and the parties should refrain from making any provocative comments.” The Prime Minister assured Ms. Landgren that the government was committed to the peace agreement.
Ms. Landgren also expressed that the United Nations Secretary-General has been concerned by “the delays” in the peace process. She would be reporting to the Secretary-General in New York as the UN Security Council will be reviewing Nepal’s peace process in November.
UNMIN has been assisting in Nepal’s peace process since 2007, especially by managing the Maoists’ arms and army personnel. It will be staying in Nepal till January 2010. The government has announced that the task of integrating and rehabilitating of the Maoists’ army would be completed before a new constitution is delivered, which is scheduled for May 2010.
