Namaste, Good afternoon

As I think you know, I went to New York in order to report to the Secretary-General Kofi Annan, probably my last opportunity before completes his term on the 31 st of December, and also to brief the Security Council as it considers recommendations and proposals the Secretary-General had put to the Council in the letter that I think most of you will have seen. And then to take part in New York in planning the next steps to follow for the UN. I am pleased to say that there was absolutely unanimous support from all 15 members of the Security Council for the Secretary-General's intention to respond to the request from the parties for support to the peace process.

As a result of that decision of the Security Council, which was in the form of a Presidential Statement, which again I hope most of you will have seen, we now have a mandate and a budget to proceed with three important steps.

The first is a technical assessment mission, which means that a number of colleagues from New York will be joining me and my team from this weekend and throughout next week. We will be working together in order to develop an overall plan and concept for the United Nation's mission that will deliver various forms of assistance requested by the parties. That will then result in a full report of the Secretary-General back to the Security Council as a result of which the we hope the Security Council will mandate that full mission.

It will almost certainly be early January before the Security Council is able to receive and consider that report. But in the meantime, we have approval for two other very important steps.

One, the immediate recruitment and rapid deployment of 35 monitors to monitor the management of arms and armies within the framework that has now been agreed. The recruitment of those 35 is going ahead. I can't tell you exactly when they will begin arriving but I hope it will be in the next two to three weeks.

In addition, the third step agreed on in the Secretary-General's proposal is the recruitment and deployment of 25 electoral advisors to assist the Electorion Commission with some of their key functions. In fact, in addition to my own Electoral Advisor, we already have two other electoral experts who are working with the Commission - one on the drafting of the legal framework that the Commission requires and the other on the logistical assessment of the arrangements the Electoral Commission will have to make.

Meanwhile it was in my absence that General Willhelmsen and other colleagues completed the tripartite negotiations on the agreement on legalities for monitoring of arms and armies.

As you may know from the briefing on the airport, I am authorised to sign as witness on behalf of the United Nations after it is looked at by the Office of Legal Affairs in New York . They proposed a few minor clarifications in the wording which I am putting to the parties. Those proposed changes in the wording don't reopen any of the issues that were negotiated, and I don't expect any problems in my then proceeding to sign the agreement and incorporating a few changes in the wording.

Now it is important to stress that the initial deployment of 35 monitors will not allow for the full monitoring arrangements that are agreed. I don't yet know, it is one of the tasks of the technical assessment mission to estimate what total number of monitors the United Nations will need to bring in full mission. But 35 will enable us to begin the tasks, but not put full arrangement in place.

I met today with the Prime Minister and also with the Chairman Prachanda to brief them, of course, on the outcome of my visit to New York, and both of them expressed interest in some temporary arrangements whereby perhaps Nepalis who served in the British or Indian Armies might be able to assist in the initial stages of monitoring, particularly of the weapons storage. It wouldn't be possible for the United Nations itself to recruit people on that basis, but we agreed to explore possible arrangements whereby such personnel might be recruited locally and operate under UN supervision. But I can't say anything more about that possibility until we have explored it amongst the two parties and the United Nations.

I see the word “delay” or “delays” used in connection with United Nations. I want to make it clear that there will be no delays as far as United Nations is concerned. United Nations have moved extremely promptly following the Comprehensive Peace Agreement to seek the mandate and resources necessary for it to carry out the tasks that are asked of it. I realise that it is not going to be possible for us to do that within the timeline originally agreed upon on 8 of November, and indeed the timeline has already slipped in other respects. But the United Nations, I can assure you, both in terms of Security Council and in terms of Secretary-General's Secretariat, as well as, of course, my team here is committed to moving on as rapidly as we can to putting place the systems that are requested from us.

I'm happy to take your questions.

Question: Can you say something on the minor clarifications to the tripartite agreement?

IM: Yes, they are minor and they are clarifications.

Question: (Sam Taylor, AFP) - PARTLY INAUDIBLE - In terms of these reports regarding Maoist numbers going to this…how exactly is UN is going to able to clarify this in six moths to year [ KD – gist of question is how will UN verify if people going into Maoist cantonment are genuine, given how easy it is to fake documents in Nepal?]

IM: Yes, it is – INAUDIBLE - to say that. You have seen what we are doing in relation to the criteria and also the information that will be requested - and the UN will do its best to check the veracity of that information. But we will have to develop some experience and see how in fact we can go about that. It will be the job of the monitors to see to that.

Question: How many PLAs are going to be registered in a day? So that we can assume the timeline it will take to check and verify all of them?

IM: I don't know yet. Again, that is something my military colleagues have to look at when they look at exactly what arrangements can be made on site. And that's probably to discuss with the commanders on site as well.

Question: (Dhruba Adhikari) We are talking about election monitors as well. Is it too early to talk about election? We have arms management and lots other things to do before we can actually talk about that kind of problem.

IM: I was not talking about election monitors, but I was talking about electoral advisors, for the electoral system. Yes, it is true that the Constituent Assembly election is the end goal of the process, but nevertheless its certainly urgent to begin with those arrangements if the dateline set for the election it is to be met. In that context, its just as urgent that the Election Commission should have the assistance it needs. It appears to be in preparation for the task… - INAUDIBLE

Question: On the recruitment of Ex -British and Indian Army soldiers … - INAUDIBLE

IM: Firstly, let me make it clear, I didn't say the United Nations will be recruiting them. I specifically said it would be impossible for UN to recruit such personnel. If some kind of local arrangements can be agreed between the Government and the Maoists, then the United Nations could perhaps supervise the operation of supplementary personnel. But I have been clear in the discussion this morning that United Nations could not take that responsibility on directly. I don't want anybody to get the impression that the United Nations will be advertising for ex-service personnel from the Indian or the British Army. We are not. And I can't say more about the possibility because I only had preliminary discussions and all we agreed is that we will explore the possibility. Please don't report it as more than an agreement to explore the possibility.

In terms of the cantonment sites, I can't tell you. We are not yet in the position to know what the situation of each cantonment site is because, as I explained before, the United Natins is not responsible for the arrangements, living and other arrangements, on the cantonment sites. We will be proceeding, General Willhelmsen and the military colleagues, who are already here, to look at the sites proposed for the satellite camps, the 21 additional sites. We are very soon to proceed with that. As well, we are visiting the seven major cantonment sites, primarily in order to look at the weapon storage areas and the areas where the United Nations personnel eventually will be stationed, how arrangements can be made there. But I can't report to you on the current condition of the sites.

Question: The Security Council has welcomed to recruit 60 personnel as proposed by the Secretary-Genral. Is it necessary to have another meeting of the Security Council to recruit the full mission?

IM: Yes, it is. The 60 recruits are made up of 35 monitors of management of arms and armies and 25 electoral personnel. But we certainly envisage that larger numbers of personnel in each of those categories will be required for the full mission, and other categories of staff that are necessary in the mission as well, including the logistical side. One of the major aspects of the assessment mission next week is precisely to see how this mission can be given the logistical support, communication, vehicles, buildings etc that it will need. Yes, it has to be a full mission concept. And normally there is an assessment mission before any personnel are deployed. It is because of the desire to respond urgently to Nepal 's request that the Secretary-General has proposed and the Security Council has agreed to advance deployment of the two categories of monitoring of arms and armies and electoral assistants.

Question: How confident you are that the election will take place on time? What steps can be taken that the election cannot be delayed longer than it should be?

IM: There was certainly a very strong commitment expressed to me this morning by both the Prime Minister and by Chairman Prachanda to seek to ensure that the elections are held within the deadline agreed. But, as I said before, it really is now the Election Commission, the Election Commissioner, who is the authority to comment on what is feasible, on what has to be done, what the timelines are for that deadline to be met.

Question: - INAUDIBLE -

IM: The functions of the initial 35 will certainly be to visit the seven sites, where our mission will have 24-hour presence at each of seven sites. Of course that requires substantial teams to maintain a rotating basis for a 24-hour presence. But again, if you look at the Agreement on legalities for monitoring, you will see a number of steps set out there that have to be taken in sequence; registration of PLA from combatants, registration of weapons, finding the best storage and so on. So I am not again to trying to spell out exactly what the 35 will do at what stage but they will straight away begin with liaising with PLA at cantonments, and also with the Nepal Army to fulfill our obligation for monitoring the Nepal Army, as well and plans for putting in place the full arrangement and establish a 24-hour monitoring at the sites. But that probably will require more personnel.

On the question of the full report, I hope we can complete the full report by the end of the year But the Security Council does not meet over the Christmas period, so I can't anticipate exactly when the Security Council will meet to consider it. As soon as the Security Council has considered it, and if it approves the proposals in the report, then we will be in the position to proceed and bring in additional personnel. Budget also has to be sorted out, a full budget has to be approved by the budgetary authorities but once there is the decision of the Security Council, then there can at least be financial authority to begin with bringing additional personnel.

I hope the Security Council will consider the report in much less than one month but as soon as the it considered the report, then further recruitment will begin. To build up a mission is a gradual process. All the mission staff do not arrive at once.

Question: Will the minor clarifications (to the tripartite agreement) prolong the major peace process? How long will it take?

IM: No, no, not at all. We are really only talking about a day or two before I expect to be in the position to sign on to the agreement myself. It does not change the fundamentals. We are already planning on the basis of what's been agreed between the parties and the Maoists and it does not effect the timeline.

Question: Once the registration of arms and armies starts, how long will it take?

IM: I can't answer these questions. The process will begin as soon as we have a group of monitors, and to begin with the 35, but exactly when I can't tell you. I have already said when I expect their arrival. It will only be complete when all the arrangements for monitoring, 24-hour presence, and the other arrangements set out in the agreement is complete. I cannot at the moment give you any timelines for this.

Question: Himalayan Time: The Security Council will meet only after technical assessment mission. What kind of mandate are they going to give? Could you also clarify more on budget? How much budget is needed? We heard 10 million dollars is needed? Is that correct?

IM: The mandate is already there in the exchange between the Security Council and the Secretary-General. The Secretary-General's letter and Security Council's Presidential Statement in response constitute the mandate for the initial deployment. On the basis of that mandate the submission has been made through the Controller, who is the top financial authority in the United Nations, through something called the Advisory Committee – INAUDIBLE - The budgetary – INAUDIBLE - that has to authorize and ensure allocation. I expect that to be within 10 million dollars, but I can't tell you the exact amount at the moment.

Question: On the possibility of deploying international peacekeepers? Will you be called peacekeepers?

IM: No, it is not peacekeepers. The Secretary-General's letter and the Security Council's Presidential Statement of response specifically called it a Political Mission, and not a Peace Keeping Mission. The function of peace-keepers are normally reflected in uniforms, military personnel, arms and some mandate to use force in certain circumstances, and that is not the case with us at all. We are talking about a special political mission with unarmed and out of uniform personnel.

Question: On the possibility of recruitment ex-servicemen… - INAUDIBLE

IM: No. Again I made that clear that we are not talking here about United Nations directly making this arrangement. It is something, if the parties decide they want to pursue in order to, because that could accelerate the process. Then I have said that the United Nations is willing to cooperate with that. But we are outside of the United Nations procedures in this context.

Question: The visiting Indian Foreign Secretary expressed interest… - INAUDIBLE - possibility of involvement of Indian monitors?

IM: I am not actually aware of the saying you attribute to the Indian Foreign Secretary, but as I indicated to the previous question which correctly indicates that the United Nations has thought it better not to use personnel from neighbouring countries as monitors in this process.

Question: Are you expecting UN Volunteers to support from neighbouring countries?

IM: I think it is very likely that we will be mix of UN Volunteers. UN Volunteers participate in almost all substantial United Nations missions these days, and I myself have worked with UNVs – the Popular Consultation in Timor-Leste was largely implemented by 450 UNV officers, including from Nepal. So again, ahead of the mission planning I can't say exactly how many or what functions we may be using from UNV. But I am certain that we will make some use of UNVs

Question: Can the UNVs from neighbouring country be recruited in that team? And… - INAUDIBLE

IM: Some functions are more sensitive that others in that respect. So I don't think it's absolutely no to that at the moment, we will look into that in our planning.

Question: We already have number of missions since the de Mistura mission. What is the particular aim of this upcoming mission, what will it try to find?

IM: This is a planning mission. The de Mistura mission was called a pre-assessment mission. This is an acknowledgement of the fact that we are in the peace process - so that plans are drawn up sufficiently, there has to be a proper full assessment mission. This is a full assessment mission that will be the basis for planning for the United Nations mission.

Question: Length of time the assessment mission spend in Nepal?

IM: I expect the majority of the members of the mission will actually be here for a week, from this weekend to the following weekend. Some of the original members may need to stay longer to carry out particular functions, but for the most part members will be here for the duration of next week.

Question: Number of members in the team?

IM: Approximately 8-10 plus on the substantive side and nearly 6-7 from the logistical and administrative side coming…-INAUDIBLE - but also members of my team will be the members of that mission, and will be joined by Mr. Kahane, Ms. Sundh and others already present in Kathmandu.

Question: When will the 35 monitors arrive?

IM: I have said that the I hope 35 already recruited start coming in from next two or three weeks. Please distinguish between this and the technical assessment mission, which is the people that are coming in next week to help us with the planning and go. The 35 monitors, when they come, they are here to stay.

Question: - INAUDIBLE -

IM: What I said is that the United Nations could not be involved in the recruitment, managing, contracting, funding of such a group. What we could perhaps do, again I stress the word, we are just beginning to explore possibility, is to provide supervision so that they assist the monitoring of the UN team.

Question: - INAUDIBLE - More than 500 weapons moving freely, won't that be risky? …-INAUDIBLE -[ks: gist, will Japan be offering montitors?]

IM: You have correctly cited the figures that the parties have agreed on in the legalities. But the weapons will not be freely moving in the sense that the weapons will not be allowed to move away from the cantonment sites and the Agreement says that they will be properly stored within the sites when they are not used. So there will not be weapons available to be taken to the countryside away from the cantonment sites. They have been agreed between the parties truly for the purposes of guarding and for the security of the cantonment sites themselves.

As far as Japan is concerned, Japan is one of the countries that received a request from the Department of Peace Keeping Operations to consider proposing personnel. If I just put that in wider context, again as I have explained on previous occasions, we are expecting the monitors for the management of arms and armies to be a mix of non-serving retired military personnel and serving military personnel, and the request went out from the Secretariat to the Member States to propose candidates. The request went to Japan and other Member States to nominate military personnel, which as you say is five. Then there however will be a process of selection within the Department of Peace Keeping Operations before we know in fact who will be coming. So that's the context. Japan was one of the countries which was approached during this bureaucratic process of seeking candidates.

Question: Who did you met in India and your way back to Kathmandu

IM: I met the Foreign Secretary yesterday morning. It is particularly important that the United Nations has some practical assistance from India in getting our mission running quickly, because some of the supplies that we will need can obviously most easily be brought from across the land border. That is the reason why it was important for me to have that meeting.

Question: Regarding the monitors, does DPKO approaches the country or the country approach DPKO to provide monitors? …- INAUDIBLE- [kd re budget]

IM: The budget for the special political mission comes out of the regular budget of the United Nations. As far as the request of the Department of Peace Keeping Operations, it approaches the Members States. Although its also open to a Member State that hasn't been approached to suggest personnel, if they are interested.

No further questions.

IM: Thank you.