“There is no basis for such an analysis. The government, therefore, completely refutes such analysis and comments,” said the Nepali Permanent Mission to the United Nations in a statement issued Thursday night. [break]
While briefing the 15-member Security Council for the last time as the head of UNMIN on Wednesday, Landgren had said, “While Nepal´s dramatic political gains are not likely to be reversed, the risks have clearly grown. There have at times been fears among many Nepalis over the prospect of a people´s revolt which remains an explicit Maoist threat; of the president stepping in, as recently called for by the Vice-president should the parties fail to find a way forward; or of an army-backed coup. Any such measures would sorely threaten peace and Nepal´s fragile democracy.”
But the mission said that failure of the peace process, president´s rule and army-backed coup could not even be imagined, terming Landgren comments in this regard as “wild comments”.
“They do not represent an iota of possibility in Nepal. All these institutions are committed to the Interim Constitution of Nepal which they have also expressed repeatedly in appropriate fora,” the mission said in its rebuttal statement.
The government has also objected to Landgren´s saying that there would be legal void after the departure of UNMIN.
“The Special Committee, which represents all the stakeholders, is formed on the basis of the provision of the Interim Constitution of Nepal and therefore has a full responsibility to take over all the tasks from UNMIN in a seamless manner,” the mission further said.
The mission said Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations Gyan Chandra Acharya made a statement at the Security Council on Thursday refuting Landgren´s analysis. Acharya has also written to the members of the Security Council expressing strong objections to the parts of the statement by Landgren.
Complete statement;
PERMANENT MISSION OF NEPAL TO THE UNITED NATIONS
PRESS RELEASE
The Permanent mission of Nepal would like to state that the parts of the statement made by Ms Karin Landgren, Representative of the Secretary-General for UNMIN, in the 6465th meeting of the Security Council on UNMIN held on 05 January 2010 is highly objectionable and is based on malicious rumors and pure conjecture. There is no basis for such an analysis. The Government of Nepal, therefore, completely refutes such analysis and comments.
The indication of a possible failure of the peace process, President’s rule and army backed coup are not only unthinkable but also wild comments. They do not represent an iota of possibility in Nepal. All these institutions are committed to the Interim Constitution of Nepal which they have also expressed repeatedly in appropriate fora.
Similarly, the Government of Nepal expresses clearly that there will be no purported legal void following the withdrawal of UNMIN from Nepal. The Special Committee, which represents all the stakeholders, is formed on the basis of the provision of the Interim Constitution of Nepal and therefore has a full responsibility to take over all the tasks from UNMIN in a seamless manner.
The Ambassador/Permanent Representative of Nepal to the United Nations H.E. Mr. Gyan Chandra Acharya made a statement in the Security Council yesterday refuting the analysis of Karen Landgren for possible failure of the peace process or the uncertainties in Nepal following the withdrawal of UNMIN.
While speaking before the Security Council Ambassador Acharya said that the Special Committee will supervise arms and Maoist army combatants as per the guidelines laid out in the Directives for Supervision, Control, Direction and Code of Conduct for the Maoist Army Combatants which was adopted unanimously on 17 September 2010. The committee is working hard to finalize the necessary preparation for a smooth takeover of all the responsibilities. The Special Committee itself would be a place to settle disputes and any other issues that may come up in the course of the peace process onwards.
Ambassador Acharya stated that the Government of Nepal has already sent a letter to UNMIN and through it to the United Nations on the issues related to the monitoring of Maoist army combatants and arms, on Nepal army, on Agreement on Management of Arms and Armies (AMMA) and Dispute Resolution Mechanism and on the request for the transfer of the updated records of arms and Maoist army combatants, all the materials, equipment and logistics used by UNMIN for monitoring tasks.
Nepal’s peace process would reach its culmination following the reintegration and rehabilitation of combatants and promulgation of new constitution, Ambassador Acharya stressed. Further, Ambassador Acharya highlighted that High-Level Committee comprising top leaders from major political parties has succeeded in ironing out many of the differences in the thematic reports of the Constituent Assembly.
There are a number of issues that need to be settled in the months ahead by the parties at the Constituent Assembly. If it is taking more time, it is only because of the historic task of transformation that the new constitution will usher in the political, social and economic spheres in the days ahead, he said.
Ambassador Acharya stressed that political parties in Nepal would muster a higher level of maturity and understanding and move toward the logical conclusion of the peace process as they have exhibited necessary courage, maturity and flexibility in times of need in the past. He emphasized that Nepal is committed to the path of peace, stability and development and shall remain fully engaged with the international community in the days ahead to ensure a better and prosperous future for all the Nepali people within a more peaceful and secure world.
Ambassador Acharya has further written to the members of the Security Council expressing strong objections to the parts of the statement made by Ms. Karin Landgren, Representative of the Secretary-General as baseless conjecture.
Permanent Mission of Nepal to the United Nations
New York
06 January 2011
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