Statute agenda as UN official visits

At a time when the political parties are struggling to end the statute stalemate, a senior UN official arrives in Kathmandu on Tuesday to take stock of the progress in constitution writing. Statute agenda as UN official visits

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Published at : January 13, 2015

Kathmandu

At a time when the political parties are struggling to end the statute stalemate, a senior UN official arrives in Kathmandu on Tuesday to take stock of the progress in constitution writing.

Under Secretary General for Political Affairs Jeffrey Feltman will stay in the Capital for three days. This is his second visit to Nepal.

Ahead of Feltman’s visit, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon dispatched separate letters to top leaders of the major political parties including Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, urging them to “draft a constitution in the spirit of compromise and broad interest of the country”.

Mari Yamashita, director of the Asia and Pacific division of the Department of Political Affairs, is currently in the Capital meeting senior political leaders and analysts.

Once Head of the Political Affairs Office in the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), she has been meeting leaders from across the political spectrum and civil society members.

Feltman will encourage parties to find a common ground towards a timely constitution. “Feltman will convey the same message as Ban communicated in his letter to the parties. As stakeholders in Nepal’s peace process, it is only natural that the UN would be keen to see the constitution drafting process completed,” said a diplomatic source.

In his letter, Ban has urged the leaders to exhibit the same kind of determination and leadership as the Nepali leaders showed during the signing of the Comprehensive Peace Accord in 2006.

“He has noted in his letter that the first Constituent Assembly established enough ground for constructive solution and base for the present CA,” PM’s foreign relations adviser Dinesh Bhattarai said about the letter addressed to the PM. Ban sent separate letters to NC leader Poudel, CPN-UML Chairman KP Oli, UCPN (Maoist) Chairman Pushpa Kamal Dahal and Madhesi Morcha Coordinator Bijaya Kumar Gachhadar.

Feltman will start his political parleys on Tuesday with female leaders of the major political parties. He will then meet Chief of Army Staff Gen Gaurav SJB Rana and Foreign Minister Mahendra Bahadur Pandey. CA Chairman Subas Nembang, UML chief Oli, Maoist Chairman Dahal and CPN-Maoist boss Mohan Baidya are also on the meeting list.

On Wednesday, Feltman will talk to Madhesi Morcha leaders, Prime Minister Sushil Koirala, President Ram Baran Yadav and Saarc Secretary General Arjun Bahadur Thapa.