UNMIN tenure: Govt to figure out UNSC response first

KATHMANDU, AUG 29 - Despite its hard-line stance against extending the term of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) under the existing mandate, the government has decided to gauge the plausible reaction of the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) before sending any formal request to it.

This decision was prompted by speculations that the UNSC may not entertain the government's request to limit UNMIN's mandate without Maoist consent. The government plans to remove Nepal Army from UNMIN's monitoring.

According to a source at the Prime Minister's Office, Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN, Gyan Chandra Acharya, will make an attempt to take officials of the UN headquarters and the representatives of the the five permanent members of the UNSC into confidence on the revision of UNMIN's mandate before forwarding a formal letter.

Acharya is going to New York this week after holding consultations with the government.

"The permanent representative has been asked to explain the government's position and see how the Security Council could react if the government fails to forge consensus with the Maoist party and unilaterally request a mandate revision," the source said. "The government will take a call only after ascertaining the pulse of officials in New York."

On Friday, Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal met ambassadors of the US, the UK, China, Russia and France and conveyed them his government's intentions. The same evening, Maoist Chairman Dahal met those diplomats and requested them to support a six-month extension of UNMIN with the current mandate. The Maoists have warned that a decision to revise UNMIN's mandate would jeopardize the peace process.

Supporting the position of the representative of the UN Secretary General in Nepal, Karin Landgren, the diplomats of the five permanent memebers of the UNSC are reported to have suggested both the government and the Maoists to strike "a common understanding on UNMIN before the UNSC meeting".

Landgren is leaving for New York on Thursday to attend discussions on Nepal's peace process in the UNSC scheduled for Sept. 7.

It is "unpredictable" as to how the Security Council would react if the government and the Maoists fail to reach an understanding, said an UNMIN official on Sunday.

"In such a scenario, the response is entirely contingent upon the decision of the Secretary General and the Security Council," he said.

While extending UNMIN's term last time, the Security Council had instructed the UN mission to immediately make arrangements for its withdrawal, including handing over any residual monitoring responsibilities by Sept. 15, 2010.

"One option given the current political impasse is to retain the status quo with a short extension of UNMIN," said the source. "Other options include not renewing UNMIN's tenure."

The UNSC is also likely to emphasise on the urgency of an exit strategy should the mandate be renewed, added the source.

Retired Lt. Gen. of Nepal Army, Balananda Sharma, who has also served as the Former Force Commander in the UN Mission in Sudan, said the UN would give greater recognition to the government's position if no consensus could be forged.

"The position of the government enjoys legal and political privilege than the position of a political party," he said. "But if the Security Council considers that the conflict among parties would be a threat to global peace, it may not consider the request of the member state but would rather impose its decision."

He said that in Nepal's case, it is highly unlikely that the UN body would intervene.

Meanwhile, the prime minister continued holding consultations with political parties to seek their suggestions on UNMIN's future. On Sunday, he held discussions with leaders of 16 political parties.