Nepal deadlock: UN chief threatens to end political mission

UN chief Ban-Ki-moon has warned that the world body may terminate its political mission in Nepal unless parties ended their standoff, as his senior officials cautioned that prolonged political bickering and distrust could hit the constitutional process.

"I will propose alternative measures to the (Security) Council, including the possible termination of United Nations Mission in Nepal's mandate," Ban said in a terse report to the Security Council.

Ban's warning over the future of UNMIN came in his latest report to the UN Security Council, which is considering its extension beyond September 15.

Ban said UN would consider withdrawal if Nepal did not quickly form a government and hold talks on the UN mission.

"I call on the parties to invest greater effort in serious and sustained political dialogue," he said.

Ban said that there has been "no substantive progress" on the future of the national and Maoist armies and drafting a constitution.

"The major parties are preoccupied by profound internal fissures and the question of power-sharing," he said. In a briefing, the head of the peacekeeping force in Nepal Karin Landgren described the situation in the country as "discouraging".

She said political parties had failed to revive the peace process but, it was still not too late. Landgren said there were still hopes that the parties would put to rest any fears that they will abandon the path of constitution and democracy.

The head of the peacekeeping mission said the Nepalese Army had continued recruitment since 2007 in defiance of an arms monitoring agreement.

"The changes foreseen to the Armies under the peace agreement have not taken place," she said.

The tenure of UNMIN is set to end on September 15 even as the country has been in political limbo since the June 30 resignation of Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal, who is currently heading a caretaker government.

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