S/PV.5938
5938th meeting
Friday, 18 July 2008, 10.15 a.m.
New York
Report of the Secretary-General on the request of Nepal for United Nations assistance in support of its peace process (S/2008/454)
Mr. Dabbashi (Libyan Arab Jamahiriya) (spoke in Arabic): First and foremost, I would like to echo those who have thanked Mr. Ian Martin, Special Representative of the Secretary-General, for the information presented in his briefing. We are grateful to him for his efforts and the efforts deployed by the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
We would also like to congratulate the Nepalese people on the first session of the Constituent Assembly, held on 20 May, and the decision to abolish the monarchy, in a peaceful manner, in favour of a democratic federal republic in Nepal. We believe that that constitutes a milestone in Nepal’s history. We are pleased to see the Seven-Party Alliance, which came into being on 27 May and has helped eradicate a number of obstacles impeding the establishment of a new government. We hope that the parties will be able to reach agreement shortly on the distribution of the various portfolios and that the new government will be set up as soon as possible.
In spite of the partial successes achieved by the Nepalese people, further impetus should be given to the peace agreements reached between the Nepalese parties. We are concerned by the information contained in the Secretary-General’s report concerning the deteriorating security situation in certain regions, in particular the upsurge in crime carried out by armed groups, abductions, blackmail, the emergence of new armed groups and renewed protest campaigns and demands by certain marginalized groups. All of that stands in the way of the political process. We therefore invite the new government, which we hope will assume its functions as soon as possible, to further strengthen State institutions on the basis of the rule of law.
We also hope to see the security situation improve, an end put to impunity and the rights of marginalized groups protected in accordance with the new constitution in order to bolster national reconciliation. Furthermore, we believe that the establishment of a single national army with a single commander-in-chief and the ongoing efforts for the demobilization and reintegration of ex-combatants are key factors for stability and peace for the State, as they will contribute towards development and prosperity for the Nepalese people.
At this juncture, the provisions of the Comprehensive Peace Agreement must be fully respected, as must the provisions of other recent agreements, in particular with regard to the reintegration of combatants, their rehabilitation, the management of arms, the demobilization of minors and the response to the concerns of marginalized groups. That must all be done in close cooperation and coordination with the United Nations, in accordance with paragraph 9 of the Secretary-General’s report.
We set great store by the work carried out by the Nepal Country Team and support its strategy, which is based on providing development aid to Nepal in order to build peace through the reform of the State, ensuring its recovery and preventing the emergence of conflict, thus assisting in the process of national reconciliation. That will largely hinge upon the resolve of the Nepalese people themselves.
Finally, we approve the recommendations issued by the Secretary-General to extend the mandate of UNMIN in accordance with the request made by the Nepalese Government, and underscore the importance of maintaining a United Nations presence in support of the political process and its actions to support the peace process.
