UNGA asks Sec Gen to ensure physical operation of Regional Centre in Kathmandu
The United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) has unanimously adopted a resolution on 26th October 2005, asking the Secretary General to ensure physical operation of the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific from Kathmandu within six months.
A statement issued by the Foreign Ministry said, “It may be recalled that the UN, through its resolutions 42/39, 1987 and 44/117, 1989 has established the Centre with headquarters in Kathmandu. But the decision remained unimplemented for the last 16 years.”
Secretary-General Kofi Annan, during his Kathmandu visit in March 2001, had assured Nepal that "now that the government has found premises, the Asia Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament would soon move from New York". But the "soon" never came.
Instead, in his report dated July 22, Annan said he was considering other possibilities - "consolidating the activities of the Regional Centre for Peace and Disarmament in Asia and the Pacific with other United Nations regional operations by co-locating the Centre with the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific in Bangkok."
Foreign policy experts had also expressed concern over the transferring the Centre from Kathmandu.
The General Assembly took the decision in this regard after Nepal said it is ready to accord all privileges and diplomatic and other immunities to even locally recruited staff in accordance with the Convention on the Privileges and Immunities of the United Nations 1946.
The statement said, “It is the firm belief of His Majesty’s Government that the relocation of the center in Kathmandu will further enhance the international profile of the Kingdom of Nepal.”
With the adoption of the resolution, the long-standing desire of His Majesty's Government to have the physical presence of the Centre in Kathmandu will now be materialized. nepalnews.com pb Oct 28 05
