KATHMANDU, July 27 (Xinhua) -- The head of the high-level United Nations (UN) team, Staffan de Mistura, arrived in Kathmandu Thursday to assess how the world body could help in the peace process in the country.

    UN Secretary General Kofi Annan assigned Mistura as the head of the UN team after formal request from the government of Nepal to the world body to monitor the peace process, help to decommission the guerrilla's arms, and to observe Constituent Assembly elections, which are expected to be held by mid-April next year.

    A three-member technical team of the same mission arrived in Kathmandu Wednesday.

    The UN team is scheduled to remain in Nepal for nine days.

    Mistura, who is a Swede, was earlier Annan's Deputy Special Representative to Iraq.

    The UN, during its stay in Nepal, is expected to hold consultations with all concerned sides to seek a common understanding of the nature and scope of responsibilities the UN could undertake in the peace process. Enditem