KATHMANDU: The British Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Peacebuilding, Jack McConnell, who is on a three-day visit to Nepal, held talks with Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal in the latter’s office today.

During the 45-minute talks, McConnell handed over a letter to the PM on behalf of the British Prime Minister Gordon Brown. Emerging from the meeting, the British emissary said the purpose of his visit and his meeting with the prime minister was to make clear the support of the UK and the British Prime Minister to the ongoing peace process in Nepal as the deadline for the new constitution has been agreed upon and all the political parties are committed to achieve timely progress.

“The UK is a historic friend of Nepal and we want to further strengthen friendship for the progress that is needed by the people of Nepal,” he told mediapersons.

McConnell said they also discussed the mandate of the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR) and the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN) and other outstanding issues like integration and rehabilitation of Maoist combatants.

“The peace process is very important to the people of Nepal and we are willing to extend all possible support for the job,” he said.

Foreign Relations Advisor to PM Nepal, Rajan Bhattarai said the letter handed over to the PM said the British prime minister wanted the government to complete the peace process on time and promulgate the new constitution within the given deadline. “In the letter, Brown believed that Napal-led government will address all the contentious issues and take the peace process to a logical conclusion and reassured all kinds of support for the purpose,” he said.

“PM Nepal told McConnell that the government was pushing the Maoist rehabilitation and integration process as per an agreement reached between the government and the Maoists earlier”.

Quoting PM Nepal, Bhattarai said the decision on rehabilitation and integration of Maoist combatants will be made under the agreement of the Special Committee. The PM was of the opinion that the government will not extend the tenure of UNMIN if it succeeded in completing the the peace process within the deadline.

“The PM said the fate of the OHCHR will be decided upon after discussions with stakeholders,” Bhattarai said.