The Himalayan Times,
Friday, November 24,2006

KATHMANDU: United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan has pledged quick UN assistance in arms monitoring and electoral assistance in Nepal. He has also congratulated the government and the Maoists for signing a comprehensive peace agreement.

“Through his personal representative in Nepal, the Secretary General is working closely with the parties to ensure that UN assistance can arrive as promptly as possible,” stated a press release issued by the spokesman for the Secretary General.

It adds that the agreement has placed great trust and responsibility on the UN by asking it to assist Nepal in the peace process, including, as an immediate step, the monitoring of arms and armed personnel and providing electoral assistance.

“Through ending the armed conflict, the people of Nepal now have the opportunity to build lasting peace in an inclusive democracy,” stated the release issued in New York yesterday.

Likewise, Javier Solana, the European Union High Representative for the Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP), has written a letter to Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala, to express “satisfaction at the historic signature of the comprehensive peace agreement”.

According to a press release issued today, Solana has indicated that the EU would continue to support the peace process in close co-operation with the international community and he expressed the hope that all the parties to the process would keep up the momentum in its implementation.

Similarly, Israel has also welcomed the signing of peace accord conveying to the Nepali people its wish that the peace accord would bring long-awaited stability and lead to stronger ties with other states in the world, including Israel.