Kathmandu: Nepal's coalition government is in the final stages of deciding on extending the tenure of the UN body tasked to monitor the peace process and arms management in the Himalayan nation.

Prime Minister Girija Prasad Koirala's foreign affairs advisor Suresh Chalise was quoted as saying that the the government would soon decide to communicate with the world body on the future role of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).

The government is planing its next move at a time when there is an intense debate on the role of the UNMIN in the country when the November Constituent Assembly election has been postponed indefinitely, a media report said.

UNMIN had been established with one year tenure by the Security Council to help in the arms management and election in Nepal. The tenure of UNMIN is set to end in January 2008.

Meanwhile, UNMIN chief Ian Martin is currently in New York to brief the Security Council about the latest situation in Nepal. Before he left for New York, Martin had met Prime Minister Koirala and Maoist chairman Prachanda to discuss the role of the UNMIN's after it s tennure expires in January.

Sources said that both Koirala and Prachanda expressed willingness to extend its tenure since its task is not yet complete, nepalnews online reported today. The Maoists walked out of the government on September 18 demanding that Nepal be declared a republic immediately, plunging the Himalayan nation into a political crisis.

The political stalemate forced the government to postpone the November assembly election aimed at forming a body to frame a constitution and decide the fate of the 238-year-old monarchy in Nepal.

Source : PTI