Security Council

5576^th Meeting (AM)

Security Council welcomes 21 november peace agreement in nepal, agrees

 

United Nations should respond quickly to assistance request

Presidential Statement Expresses Support for Political Mission

To Monitor Arms, Elections; Advance Deployment of Essential Personnel

Warmly welcoming the signing on 21 November by the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, the Security Council this morning agreed that the United Nations should respond positively and expeditiously to the request of the parties for assistance in implementing key aspects of the Agreement, in particular monitoring of management of arms and armed personnel of both sides and election monitoring.

In a statement read by Council President Nassir Abdulaziz Al-Nasser (Qatar), the Council expressed support for the Secretary-General’s intention to send a technical assessment mission to Nepal with a view to proposing a United Nations political mission to deliver the assistance requested, and to dispatch an advance deployment of essential personnel of up to 35 monitors and 25 electoral personnel.

The Council issued its statement in response to a letter sent to its President by Secretary-General Kofi Annan (document S/2006/920).  In that letter, the Secretary-General, referring to letters addressed to him from Nepal’s Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and K.P. Sharma Oli, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Nepal, says that the United Nations should respond positively to Nepal’s request for assistance.  He notes that over the past several years, he has been consulting with all sides in Nepal to encourage a negotiated political solution to the conflict.  “The present circumstances appear to provide the best opportunity yet for achieving that aim,” he states.

The Secretary-General adds that, despite the tight timelines set by the parties, it is imperative for the United Nations to be in a position to support the peace process during the current interim phase by predeploying an appropriate presence in the field as soon as possible, primarily in the areas of management of arms and armed personnel and electoral assistance.  In line with the requests by the parties, it is currently proposed to ask the monitors to serve in civilian clothes.  The parties have expressed the hope that urgent arrangements can be made to facilitate the rapid deployment of United Nations monitors.

The meeting started at 10:09 a.m. and adjourned at 10:16 a.m.

Presidential Statement

The full text of presidential statement S/PRST/2006/49 reads as follows:

“The Security Council warmly welcomes the signing on 21 November by the Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) of a Comprehensive Peace Agreement, and the commitment both parties have stated to transforming the existing ceasefire into a permanent peace.

“The Security Council notes the request of the parties for United Nations assistance in implementing key aspects of the Agreement, in particular monitoring of arrangements relating to the management of arms and armed personnel of both sides and election monitoring.  The Security Council agrees that the United Nations should respond positively and expeditiously to this request for assistance.

“The Security Council welcomes and expresses support for the Secretary-General’s intention to send a technical assessment mission to Nepal with a view to proposing, following close consultations with the parties, a fully developed concept of UN operations, including a United Nations political mission to deliver the assistance requested, and to dispatch an advance deployment of essential personnel of up to 35 monitors and 25 electoral personnel.

“The Security Council stands ready to consider the Secretary-General’s formal proposals as soon as the technical assessment is complete.”

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For information media • not an official record