Thursday, April 12, 2007

Nepal elections in June not feasible:UN

Posted April 9th, 2007 by TariqueInternationalKathmandu, April 9 (NNN-PTI)
http://www2.blogger.com/post-edit.g?blogID=3475040405653681384&postID=842340008765014300

The top UN official for Nepal has said that it was not "technically and politically feasible" to hold the June 20 polls for the Constituent Assembly that would frame a new constitution for the Himalayan nation.

The chief of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), Ian Martin, told Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koiralas advisor on Foreign Affairs Suresh Chalise that it is not "technically and politically feasible" to hold the Constituent Assembly polls on June 20.

"It will take little time to address the Terai and ethnic issues, and we don't have much time (if the polls are to be held on June 20)," Martin said citing the political turmoil in the Terai plains bordering India over greater political and economic rights for the community of the region.

"Martin told me that it was not feasible to hold elections on the said date if the issues of Terai and ethnic minorities remain unresolved," Chalise was quoted as saying in the media Monday.

Martin-headed UNMIN was mandated to assist Nepal in holding the free and fair constituent assembly elections.

Martin is also learnt to have raised the difficulty in holding the polls on its schedule in his meeting last week with Maoist chief Prachanda, whose party is a major constituent in the interim government.

Martin told Prachanda that the date of any election should be announced 90 days ahead of schedule and the date for the polls proposed by the eight political parties was not feasible.

Martin advised Prachanda to resolve the issues raised by the ethnic communities including, Madhesis and Janajatis, so that a peaceful, free and fair elections could be held.