Expressing "deep concern" over recent attacks against political parties in Nepal, the United Nations has warmly welcomed planned talks between the Nepalese government and the Madhesis group, who live in the dispute-wrecked Terai region.
UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon's Special Representative Ian Martin reiterated the importance of entire Nepalese society being involved in this year's planned elections, as the Himalayan country seeks to build on last
year's historic peace deal with the Maoists.
"I am pleased to begin today by welcoming the dialogue that is to take place between the government team and representatives not only of Madhesi organisations but also of Janajatis," Martin, who also heads the UN Political Mission in Nepal said in a statement.
"The United Nations has stressed the importance of all groups, including women and Dalits as well as Madhesis and Janajatis, feeling that they will be adequately represented in the historic decisions to be made about the future of Nepal through the Constituent Assembly," he said.
Martin also said that despite the recent disturbances in the Terai region in Southern Nepal, UNMIN remained focused on its core task of managing the arms belonging to the Communist Party of Nepal-Maoist (CPN-M) and the government, as stipulated in the peace deal signed between the two sides last November.
In particular, he said, he was satisfied with the monitoring of weapons at Kailali and Surkhet in the west, although there was still more work to be done.
"During this week, we will test the installation of 24-hour closed-circuit television (CCTV) surveillance," Martin noted.
"An urgent issue is the safe disposal or storage of improvised explosive devices -- mostly socket bombs -- as well as the dismantling of Nepal Army minefields. We now have two UN experts advising us and beginning discussions with the parties about how to proceed."
Martin said he expected the number of UN monitors in Nepal to climb to 66 from the current 48 by the end of this week, adding that more equipment would be arriving soon.
The special envoy stressed that the United Nations wanted to see a peaceful, inclusive election and expressed concern at reports about some voter rolls being seized and attacks on two political parties in western Nepal.