SG/SM/9212
23 March 2004
Secretary-General, Disturbed by Escalation of Fighting in Nepal, Appeals for Resumption of Peace Process
NEW YORK, 22 March (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for Secretary-General Kofi Annan:
The Secretary-General is disturbed by the recent escalation of fighting in Nepal, where the continued instability and conflict is having an increasingly devastating impact on the lives of ordinary people. Civilian casualties and serious human rights violations are a routine occurrence, and the country’s economic and social development is being seriously hampered.
The Secretary-General does not believe there is a military solution to the conflict. He appeals to His Majesty’s Government of Nepal and the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist) to take immediate steps to end the fighting and resume the peace process with the participation of all political and civil forces in the country.
The Secretary-General continues to be available to assist the search for a solution in any manner the parties consider useful.
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