NEPAL: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIN

UNCLAS STATE 118173

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: UNSC UNMIN PREL NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIN


1. The Department requests that USUN draw on the following
points in making its intervention during the UN
Security Council debate on the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) on
Friday, November 7.


2. Begin points:

Mr. President:

-- We welcome Special Representative Martin to the Council
today and thank him for his briefing.

-- In the last year, the country of Nepal has made progress
that is nothing short of remarkable. It has emerged from an
insurgency, begun a peace process, held elections, seen the
peaceful abdication of its king and formed an elected
government. We commend the people of Nepal for their ongoing
commitment to the peace process, and again thank Special
Representative Martin and the staff of UNMIN for their
diligent work in facilitating much of this progress. We also
recognize his efforts to downsize UNMIN as it completes many
aspects of its mandate.

-- As the Secretary General's report makes clear, however,
there remains much more to be done. We share the concerns
highlighted in the report. We hope the Constituent of
Assembly can make real progress in the drafting Nepal's
constitution and complete this task within the two-year
period stipulated by the interim constitution. We also hope
to see more progress in the implementation of other peace
process commitments, the integration of the Maoist and
Nepalese army forces, and in the government's ability to
protect the people of Nepal and to guarantee their human
rights. The expectations of the Nepali people are high, and
the government must act to fulfill them.

-- The United States appreciates the efforts by the Special
Representative to push the peace process forward. We urge the
Government of Nepal and the other major parties to redouble
their efforts to make progress on the formation of the
special committee and its supporting technical committee.

-- The peace process cannot move forward without progress on
the issue of Maoist combatants. Therefore, the United States
urges the Communist Party of Nepal - Maoist to take concrete
steps to transform its militant Young Communist League into
an exclusively non-violent organization. The United States
urges the other parties to take similar steps with their
militant youth wings. The United States further urges the
government of Nepal to consider taking immediate steps to
comply with the Special Representative's suggestions to
consolidate arms and soldiers into fewer cantonments, and to
discharge minors.

-- We will look forward to hearing the Government of Nepal's
views on the role of the UN and UNMIN when the time comes to
consider UNMIN's mandate after the New Year. The United
States is willing to consider an extension and appropriate
adjustments to UNMIN's mandate, depending on the further
progress achieved in the implementation of the peace process.
It is important that the Government of Nepal is able to
demonstrate to the Council that the UN's efforts will
continue to contribute to lasting peace and stability.

End points.
RICE