'Failure of leaders to work together biggest threat to peace'

• ´Shaktikhor tape has no bearing on lifting terrorist tag off the Maoists´

KATHMANDU, June 13: The single largest threat to Nepal´s peace process lay in the "failure on the part of the political party leaders to work together", said US Assistant Secretary of State Robert O´ Blake in the capital, Saturday.



Addressing a press conference in the capital on Saturday, he said even though the political leaders whom he interacted with on Friday expressed their commitment to achieving peace in the country as per the wishes of the Nepali people, there are major differences among them on the ways to lead the peace process to a logical conclusion and the drafting of a new constitution. [break]



"The leaders told me they want to achieve peace, but there are differences among them on how it will happen," Secretary Blake said.



Stating that the US is dedicated in helping Nepal become both democratic, stable and prosperous and achieve long-term development, Secretary Blake, who came on a two-day visit to Nepal, said that the message from his government has been well conveyed to the prime minister and other leaders of the mainstream political parties. "I encourage all to work together and the new government should move quickly to name the portfolios."



Blake added that the integration of the Maoist combatants is "very important" and thus, he said, during his deliberations with the leaders he took up the the issue of discharge of the minors from the cantonment "very seriously". Some 3000 under-aged Maoist soldiers still remain in 28 cantonments in the country.



Responding to a query on the possibility of removing terrorist tag on the Maoists, Blake said that the process is on. However, he added that the removal is contingent upon Maoist renouncing violence altogether, a complete stop to the violent activities of the Young Communist League and their active participation in the peace process among other conditions.



"It depends upon the Maoists not US," Blake said. "The controversial Shaktikhor tape has no bearing on the US government´s decision on lifting the terrorist tag off the Maoists head."



Secretary Blake informed that the US government has allocated $70 million annual assistance to Nepal, which is especially targeted at health sector, vocational training, enhancing the role of civil society and others. The US, he said, will remain one of the largest bilateral donors in Nepal.



Clarifying the role of UNMIN and the possible extension of its term, which expires by the end ogf next month, he said, UNMIN´s exit will be determined by the successful completion of the peace process in Nepal."



This is Secretary Blake´s first official visit to Nepal after his appointment to the post. Before this, he served as the ambassador of US to Sri Lanka.

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