"We are aware that an action plan [for management of the combatants] was drawn up. But [there is] the lack of full consensus of the Special Committee and the Special Committee is also not meeting in its complete form of members," Representative of the UN Secretary-General, Karin Landgren, said, "Whether it is possible for agreement to be reached around a plan for integration and rehabilitation in this broader political climate of mistrust and lack of agreement on the big picture, I am quite doubtful." [break]
But Landgren, addressing her first press conference since the UN Security Council renewed the mandate of her office for the sixth time on Wednesday, was quick to add that management of the Maoist combatants would be smooth once there was political agreement on the issue.
"Time is very short for tangible progress to be made, and UNMIN joins the Security Council in calling on the political parties to work together in the spirit of consensus and compromise, and to do so quickly," Landgren, who returned from New York on Thursday after attending the Security Council meeting on Nepal´s peace process, said.
Asked who should be given the responsibility of her office if the peace process is not completed by September 15, the date the renewed mandate of her office expires, Landgren said that it would be up to the parties to agree on the actor who should take up the residual work of the peace process.
"Frankly, there was no clear answer to that [hand over of responsibility]," Landgren said, adding that her office has been discussing the issue with the political parties for the last two months. "It is up to the agreement of parties…"
In its latest resolution on Nepal´s peace process, the Security Council decided that UNMIN, in consultation with other parties, should immediately begin to make necessary arrangements for its withdrawal, including handing over any residual monitoring responsibilities, by September 15.
Asked whether the Security Council will extend UNMIN´s mandate for yet another term should the government request it, Landgren said the Security Council will consider any request by the government but such a request should be based on consensus among the political parties.
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