Biratnagar, July 13:

Chief of the United Nations Mission in Nepal Ian Martin today blamed that ploys of political parties were delaying the drafting of a new constitution. Martin was speaking at a function organised to close the Biratnagar-based eastern regional office of the UNMIN.

“Implementing federalism is a challenging task for Nepal,” he said, adding, “The new government will have to choose federalism suitable for Nepal, achieve economic prosperity and cope with global fuel and food crises.”

“Though our regional offices have been closed, the Kathmandu-based UNMIN office will continue to monitor weapons kept in cantonments for six months,” he said.

Martin said he would fly to New York this week to discuss the situation in Nepal in the UN Security Council.

Saying that the UNMIN had played a vital role to make the Constituent Assembly polls a success, he said the first meeting of the Constituent Assembly touched his heart. “The UN will give continuity to its work in Nepal.” “Though the armed conflict is over, Nepal faces many challenges,” he said. “Incidents that occurred during the conflict should be probed and the guilty punished.”

Martin also gave letters of appreciation to staffers of the eastern regional office of UNMIN.