Secretary-General concerned fighting could escalate in Nepal

 

after expiration of communist party’s unilateral ceasefire

 

The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General is seriously concerned that fighting could escalate in Nepal after the four-month-old unilateral ceasefire declared by the Communist party of Nepal (Maoist) (CPN-M) expires on 2 January 2006.  He deeply regrets that despite the appeal of so many national and international voices, including his own, no progress appears to have been made towards a mutually agreed truce between the Government of Nepal and the CPN-M.

The people of Nepal have benefited from the de-escalation of violence in the last four months and they would bear the brunt of a renewal in fighting.  In the interest of peace and the welfare of civilians throughout the country, the Secretary-General therefore reiterates his strong appeal to the Government of Nepal to reciprocate the ceasefire and to the CPN-M to extend its unilateral ceasefire.  The United Nations stands ready to assist in the realization of this objective should the parties so desire.

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For information media • not an official record