GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIN

UNCLAS STATE 044662 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: UNSC UNMIN PREL NP SUBJECT: GUIDANCE FOR UNSC DEBATE ON UNMIN ¶1. The Department requests USUN to draw on the following points for use during the UN Security Council's debate on the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN),scheduled to take place on May 5. ¶2. Begin points: -- We are pleased to welcome SRSG Landgrin to the Council for the first time and thank her for her briefing. The United States appreciates the efforts by the Special Representative and her staff to complete the tasks within UNMIN,s mandate and to continue to assist the Nepali government in moving the peace process forward. -- We take special note of both the progress and the setbacks the report outlines in Nepal's efforts to carry out the terms of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement. We bear in mind always the enormous achievements of the people of Nepal. They have peacefully ended an insurgency, begun a process of reconciliation, and formed a government. -- These accomplishments remain at risk, however, while so many important aspects of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement remain unfulfilled. The Maoist-led government and the Nepali Army must recognize that a cornerstone of any democracy is civilian control of the military and the prudent exercise of that control. As the report details, there has been some progress on the integration of the People's Liberation Army and the Nepali Army but this progress is threatened by infighting between the government and the Nepali Army. -- We are pleased that the Special Committee has begun regular consultations and welcome the establishment of the Technical Committee to aid the implementation of its decisions. We remain deeply concerned by the Secretary General's report that differences between the parties in the coalition government continues to impede decision making. We urge the major parties to redouble their efforts to facilitate the work of integrating and rehabilitating Maoist army personnel. As a step forward, we urge the government of Nepal to take immediate steps to adopt the Special Representative's suggestions to consolidate arms and soldiers into fewer cantonments, and to discharge minors. -- Continued misuse of political youth groups also threatens the peace process. 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 youth wings. -- As reflected in the statement adopted by the Council, we call on the government of Nepal and the major political parties to recommit themselves to the peace process in order to both meet their obligations to the Nepali people and to conclude UNMIN,s mandate. As we look forward to the end of the current mandate in June, we will look for concrete demonstration of that commitment from the Government of Nepal in considering any recommendations or requests it may offer regarding UNMIN,s future. We plan to consult with our Council colleagues as we seek to conclude UNMIN,s mandate, preserve the enormous progress the people of Nepal have made in establishing peace and stability, and decide how best the Council can contribute to lasting peace and stability in Nepal going forward. End points. CLINTON