"We did welcome over the weekend a clear progress where there´´s an agreement in Nepal to transfer command and control of Maoist forces to a special commission," State Department spokesman, P J Crowley, told reporters at his daily news conference.[break]
The development marks an important step toward the Maoist party´´s transformation into a civilian party, as it has now officially dissociated itself from its combatants, Nepali media reports had said.
"This is an important step in the peace process, but now Nepal needs to move ahead with the rest of the process which involves a new constitution and the formation of a government," Crowley said.
"So that is a major step that we welcomed," he said in response to a question.
Last week the Assistant Secretary of State for South and Central Asia, Robert Blake, made separate telephone calls to the Nepal´s Prime Minister, Madhav Kumar Nepal, and the chairman of the Maoist party Pushpa Kamal Dahal.
He (Blake) told both leaders that the United States government commitment to support the peace process will continue after the United Nations mission leaves Nepal this weekend, Crowley said.
"I urged all the parties to continue to respect their own commitments under the Comprehensive Peace Agreement and said it is incumbent upon Nepal´´s leaders to bring the peace process to a much needed conclusion," Blake said at a speech at the Rice University.
The US was pleased that the parties reached agreement on arrangements to continue the monitoring of arms and the armies.
We hope that same spirit will help the parties reach agreement on the integration and rehabilitation of Maoist army personnel into the Nepalese army and police, and on a new constitution, he said.
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