UN advisors arrive to assist Nepal peace process

Of the four experts assigned by the United Nations (UN) to assist the Ian Martin led UN mission in Nepal, three arrived in Nepal till Tuesday.

According to UN information centre in Kathmandu, two experts have arrived in the capital Tuesday, while one arrived on Monday to participate in Nepal's peace process. The fourth expert is arriving on Friday.

Senior official at the UN Department of Political Affairs, Tamrat Samual arrived in the capital on Monday as a political advisor of Martin.

Likewise, Jan Erik Wilhemson, a former general in the Norwegian Army and Ecaterina Salvu, a Romanian nation arrived on Tuesday as the military advisor and electoral advisor of Martin respectively.

Ceasefire monitoring expert, John Bevan will arrive in the capital on Friday.

An American national, John has already served at the office of the High Commissioner of Human Rights in Nepal.

UN Secretary General Kofi Annan had appointed Martin as his personal representative in Nepal in August to assist in Nepal's peace process after Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda sent separate letters to the UN seeking world body's help in Nepal's peace process on August 09.

The mandate for Martin’s team includes human rights monitoring, monitoring of the code of conduct during the cease-fire, management of arms and armed personnel of both sides, and electoral observation. nepalnews.com pb Oct 11 06