KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- As the Nepali government and the guerrillas haven't been able to reach a common understanding on the kind of support they will seek from the United Nations (UN), the government has requested the high-level UN mission currently in Nepal to extend its stay, The Kathmandu Post reported on Tuesday.

    According to the newspaper, during his meeting on Monday with the UN mission, Deputy Prime Minister Amik Sherchan requested the mission to extend its stay in Nepal so that the government and the guerrilla may have more time to agree on a common understanding.

    He said he will talk to the prime minister and the other parties to concentrate on the UN ultimatum, setting aside all prescheduled programs for Tuesday.

    Upset about dillydallying on the part of the government and the guerrilla towards coming up with a common understanding on arms management, the chief of the mission, Staffan de Mistura, warned on Monday that "an occasion" to get UN help could be missed.

    He had given three days' time to arrive at such an understanding.

    The Mistura-led team that is here to aid Nepal's peace process is expected to study the reality of Nepali politics and prepare the base for UN help in the country.

    Mistura, assigned by UN Secretary General Kofi Annan to "assess" the UN role in resolving the decade-long conflict in Nepal, arrived in Kathmandu on July 27 on a weeklong visit. Enditem

    Related:

Nepali guerrilla won't join interim govt before arms settlement: advisor

    KATHMANDU, Aug. 1 (Xinhua) -- The Nepali guerrilla cannot be taken into an interim government until their arms are decommissioned, Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's advisor for foreign affairs, Suresh Chalise told reporters here on Tuesday.

    The government cannot act as per the guerrillas' demands. The letter sent by the government last month to the United Nations (UN)clearly states that the guerrillas' arms should be decommissioned and the government's weapons should be limited to the barracks, Chalise said, adding that Koirala told the UN mission that the government was ready to include the guerrillas in the government, but "they should disassociate with arms."  Full story <<<