UN political chief heads to Asia next week for three-nation tour

The top United Nations political official will travel next week to Asia on a visit that will take him to China, Kyrgyzstan and Nepal, a spokesman for the world body said today.

The first stop for Under-Secretary-General for Political Affairs B. Lynn Pascoe will be Beijing, where he will hold talks with senior officials on a range of UN-related issues from 13 to 15 August.

On 16 August, Mr. Pascoe will be in the Kyrgyz capital, Bishkek, where he will deliver a message on behalf of Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to the summit of Heads of State of the member countries of the Shanghai Cooperation Organization – a regional body comprising China, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Russia, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan.

While in Kyrgyzstan, he will also meet with a number of visiting leaders to discuss the situation in Central Asia and the broader region.

Mr. Pascoe will be in Kathmandu from 18 to 19 August to discuss the peace process with national leaders and to consult with the UN Mission in Nepal (UNMIN), which is providing critical assistance to the holding of Constituent Assembly elections later this year.

During his stay in the Himalayan nation, Mr. Pascoe is expected to meet with Nepal’s Prime Minister and other key political figures in the country.