Prachanda, Martin trade charges over verification of Maoist combatants

Maoist Chairman Prachanda has criticised UNMIN chief Ian Martin for saying that the Maoists had posed preconditions for allowing a second stage of personnel, arms and ammunition verification.

Kathmandu, May 4 : Maoist Chairman Prachanda has criticised UNMIN chief Ian Martin for saying that the Maoists had posed preconditions for allowing a second stage of personnel, arms and ammunition verification.

"We had discussed with him a few days ago, but he has said a few things beyond our agreement," Prachanda told reporters after participating in a book launching ceremony. The book has been authored by Communist leader Shambhu Ram Shrestha.

"We have not posed any precondition. We have just said that earlier understandings regarding cantonment management should be respected," he added.

On Tuesday, Martin - who left the same day for New York to brief the Security Council - told reporters that no precondition was acceptable to the UNMIN to start the second stage of verification of Maoist combatants.

Martin had said that the Maoist leadership has not agreed to the process (of second stage verification) commencing until "other issues have been addressed: in particular, the improvement of conditions in the cantonments, government remuneration for those registered there, and the formation of the committee envisaged by Article 146 of the Interim Constitution to take responsibility for the future of the Maoist army."

Martin was quoted by nepalnews as saying that "The obligation on the CPN(M) to allow verification to proceed is unconditional, and I have made clear to the Maoist leadership that UNMIN cannot accept its linkage to any pre-conditions."

The UNMIN has been saying that it is ready to begin the second stage of registration and verification of personnel in the Maoist cantonment sites. The second stage verification is said to be essential for two purposes: to identify minors who under the agreement must be discharged, and to determine whether personnel were recruited after 25 May 2006, in breach of the ceasefire code of conduct.

ANI