UN expresses concern over Nepal's stalled peace process, reforms

Feb 11, 2012, 5:53 GMT

Kathmandu - A United Nations envoy on Saturday urged Nepal's political parties to resolve the deadlock that has stalled reforms in the country since the end of the 10-year civil war in 2006.

Samuel Tamarat held talks with the Maoist leader Pushpa Kamal Dahal to express concern over the protracted political situation.

'This issue of integration has to be resolved as early as possible in our view, so that the remaining challenges can be tackled in time for the end of May,' said Tamarat, alluding to the deadline to write a new constitution.

The visit came during a crisis over the re-integration of Maoist former combatants. Former guerrillas alleged that their commanders had seized the severance cheques from the government.

Foreign Affairs Department official Krishna Bahadur Mahara said Dahal had assured the envoy that the peace process would conclude.

The discharge of the retiring combatants was scheduled to be completed on Saturday. The government has asked the military to begin the integrating 6,500 of Maoists combatants into the national army.

The peace process and constitution drafting have been stalled as political parties squabble over several issues, including the number former combatants to be included in the army.

Political parties are also disputing the division of provinces and system of governance to be enshrined in a new constitution.

In November, the term of the charter writing body was extended by six months. It was the fourth time that the assembly's mandate was extended since its first deadline expired in April 2010.

The 601-member Constituent Assembly was first elected in 2008 and was originally given a two-year mandate to write a charter.

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