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Statement
Ian Martin, the Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Nepal
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NEW
YORK, 22 November 2006
The
United Nations envoy to Nepal welcomed today's signing of a comprehensive
peace agreement between the Himalayan country's multi-party Government
and the Maoists, saying the pact "promises to convert the ceasefire into
long-term peace."
Ian
Martin, the Secretary-General's Personal Representative in Nepal for Support
to the Peace Process, attended a signing ceremony in the capital, Kathmandu,
involving the Seven-Party Alliance and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoists).
The
ceremony follows a deal struck on 8 November to formally end 10 years of
civil war that had killed about 15,000 people and forced more than 100,000
others to flee their homes.
Calling
the agreement "entirely a Nepali achievement," Mr. Martin reiterated the
pledge by Secretary-General Kofi Annan earlier this month that the UN will
respond promptly to requests for help in implementing the peace pact.
He
said in a statement that his office has reached agreement with the Government
and the Maoists on the location of seven divisional cantonment sites for
the People's Liberation Army (PLA), the Maoists' armed wing.
"I
hope that we will quickly be able to reach tripartite agreement on the
full modalities for the management of arms and armies, clarifying essential
details regarding confinement to cantonments and restriction to barracks,
weapons storage, permitted and prohibited activities, and monitoring arrangements,"
Mr. Martin said.
He
added that "the UN will then be able to move forward with its planning
to deploy monitors and other personnel," noting that the world body has
also been asked to help with human rights monitoring and electoral assistance.
Source:
United Nations News Service 2006
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