Nepali gov't requests to extend UN mission's term by four months

Nepali government Tuesday requested the United Nations Security Council to extend the term of UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) by four more months with a mandate to "focus on monitoring of Maoist combatants, cantonments and arms ".

According to Wednesday's Republica daily, the request is deliberately silent about monitoring of the Nepal Army by UNMIN, leaving room for many to interpret that the national army has been removed from UNMIN's purview.

"The government has requested the UN Security Council to renew the UNMIN's term with a mandate to focus only on monitoring and management of the Maoist combatants, cantonments and arms under the new term," said Minister for Peace and Reconstruction Rakam Chemjong.

When asked to interpret the mandate more specifically, Chemjong said, "You should understand the meaning when we ask UNMIN to focus only on monitoring and management of the Maoist cantonments and arms".

"We have omitted the Nepal Army in the definition of two armies in the request letter," Chemjong said.

Established in January 2007 by the Security Council, UNMIN's sixth term expires on September 15.

Source: Xinhua