Infighting, Assistant Secretary of State Robert Blake said, could lead to dangerous instability.
In an interview on Monday with The Associated Press, the US State Department official expressed worry that there has not been more progress toward implementing a 2006 peace agreement, specifically on the drafting of a new constitution and on integrating the Maoist and Nepalese armies.
“There´s a sense of drift, and that drift can be very dangerous if the people of Nepal perceive that their elected leaders are not taking seriously their responsibilities. And so there´s a risk of instability under those circumstances,” Blake said.
He called on the Maoists and other parties to work together and stop squabbling, to “put national interests above narrow, partisan interests and really get down to business on these important issues.”
As part of the peace process, thousands of ex-Maoist fighters in 2006 laid down their weapons. The fighters were supposed to be integrated into the national security forces, but little has been done to move toward that.
“Nepal has come so far,” Blake said. “It would really be a shame to jeopardize the progress that has been made.”
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