SG/SM/9815
HR/4826
13 April 2005

Secretary-General Welcomes Establishment of Human Rights Office in Nepal

NEW YORK, 12 April (UN Headquarters) -- The following statement was issued today by the Spokesman for UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan:

The Secretary-General welcomes the signing yesterday of a Memorandum of Understanding between the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Minister for Foreign Affairs of His Majesty’s Government of Nepal providing for the establishment of an operation of the High Commissioner’s Office in Nepal to monitor the observance of human rights and international law.  This is an important development that should help prevent human rights abuses and contribute to the peaceful resolution of the conflict in Nepal.

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