Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
02KATHMANDU2044
2002-10-25 11:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

NEPAL: SA DAS CAMP MEETINGS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER

Tags:  PREL PGOV PREF PINR NP IN LICC 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 002044 

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR POL - RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF PINR NP IN LICC

SUBJECT: NEPAL: SA DAS CAMP MEETINGS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
AND FOREIGN SECRETARY

REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 1926

B. (B) KATHMANDU 1640

Classified By: DCM ROBERT K. BOGGS. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).

--------
SUMMARY
---------

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 002044

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR POL - RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/24/2012
TAGS: PREL PGOV PREF PINR NP IN LICC

SUBJECT: NEPAL: SA DAS CAMP MEETINGS WITH FOREIGN MINISTER
AND FOREIGN SECRETARY

REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 1926

B. (B) KATHMANDU 1640

Classified By: DCM ROBERT K. BOGGS. REASON: 1.5 (B,D).

--------------
SUMMARY
--------------


1. (C) In October 23 meetings with Deputy Assistant
Secretary for South Asian Affairs Donald Camp and the

SIPDIS
Ambassador, newly appointed Foreign Minister Narendra Bikram Shah and Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya both stressed that the change in government will not affect Nepal's inclination to conclude an Article 98 agreement with the U.S. DAS Camp emphasized the USG's continued support for Nepal. ForMin Shah assessed that the interim government can depend on no more than ""a few months of good will"" from a public anxious to see progress on resolving the insurgency and holding elections. Biographic information on the new Foreign Minister follows in Paras 10-11 below. End summary.

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US SUPPORT: ""GREAT POLITICAL SIGNIFICANCE""
--------------


2. (SBU) Deputy Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs
Donald Camp, accompanied by the Ambassador, DCM, and poloff
met October 23 with Foreign Secretary Madhu Raman Acharya and
Joint Secretary for South Asia Gyan Chandra Acharya. DAS
Camp opened the meeting by expressing the USG's continued
support for the Government of Nepal (GON),reflected in
increased development and security assistance. The Foreign
Secretary responded that the GON attaches ""great political

SIPDIS
significance"" to USG support.

--------------
ARTICLE 98
--------------


3. (C) The October 11 change in government does not change
the GON's willingness to pursue an Article 98 agreement with
the U.S. (Ref A). The MFA is ""expediting"" review of the
draft agreement with the Ministry of Law, the Foreign
Secretary said. GON and USG views on the International

SIPDIS
Criminal Court coincide, he noted. (Note: The Foreign
Minister echoed this position in his subsequent meeting with
DAS Camp and the Ambassador, but asked for a list of
countries that have already concluded and/or are seriously

considering an Article 98 agreement. End note.)

--------------
SUPPORT FROM INDIA, OTHERS
--------------


4. (C) The Ambassador asked for an assessment of Indian
cooperation in countering the Maoist insurgency. The Foreign
Secretary responded that although the previous government of

SIPDIS
Prime Minister Deuba had ""a good understanding"" with the
Indian government, India's ""actions don't always match the
expectations here."" While India had cooperated in banning the
All Indian-Nepali Unity Society, a Maoist front (Ref B),the
same organization has resurfaced in India under a different
name, the Foreign Secretary asserted. India has given some
indication that it will increase military support; Acharya
cited rifles as one example. The Chinese are helping ""on a
token basis,"" while Russian offers are purely on a commercial
basis. The GON has tried to allay Indian suspicions
surrounding US security assistance, the Foreign Secretary
added, by stressing the transparency of USG aid and aims.
The GON wants the support of India ""in ways that are
acceptable and comfortable for us,"" Joint Secretary Acharya
interjected. GON efforts at transparency are not the same as
seeking approval from India for accepting foreign aid, he
stressed.

--------------
BHUTANESE REFUGEES
--------------


5. (SBU) The Foreign Secretary confirmed that Foreign
Minister Shah met briefly October 22 with the Bhutanese
Foreign Minister during the latter's stopover at the
Kathmandu airport. Shah formally invited his Bhutanese
counterpart for the next (and long-pending) round of
bilateral talks aimed at resolving the Bhutanese refugee
problem; no date was fixed. Joint Secretary Acharya said the
refugees are growing frustrated by the lack of progress; the
GON is worried the Maoists could exploit that frustration.
Disagreement persists between the two governments over what
action is to be taken with various categories of refugees
and, more specifically, over the definition of ""forced""
eviction. The Joint Secretary said he suspects the
Government of Bhutan is procrastinating because of dismay at
the number of bonafide refugees, based on the results of the
first (and so far only) joint verification exercise, it may
be required to take back. He believes that the Bhutanese
government sometimes responds to international pressure. The
GON has thus asked some European governments for help in
persuading the Bhutanese of the need for flexibility.


6. (SBU) DAS Camp noted that representatives of the USG,
including the Ambassador in New Delhi, has raised the issue
with the Bhutanese on a number of occasions. Our main
leverage with the Bhutanese is moral suasion, he observed.
Since the Bhutanese are increasing the number of countries
with which they have Ambassadorial relations, the scope for
increasing international pressure may increase as well. The
USG will continue to press for a timely resolution to the
refugee problem, both on its own and in concert with other
countries. Joint Secretary Acharya suggested the USG might
persuade the Bhutanese to initiate dialogue with refugee
leaders in Nepal.

-------------- --------------
FOREIGN MINISTER: ""ONLY A FEW MONTHS OF GOOD WILL""
-------------- --------------


7. (SBU) Immediately following the meeting with the Foreign
Secretary, DAS Camp, accompanied by the Ambassador and DCM,

SIPDIS
called on Foreign Minister Narendra Bikram Shah. DAS Camp
noted the unprecedented level of bilateral cooperation, which
reflects USG support for Nepal. DAS Camp and the Ambassador
welcomed the new government's commitment to holding elections
as soon as possible, as well as its continued interest in
concluding an Article 98 agreement. Shah thanked the USG for
its support. He noted that he will make his first foreign
trip as Minister October 28 when he accompanies Crown Prince
Paras to the Global Mountain Summit in Bishkek.


8. (C) Shah asked his visitors for the USG's assessment of
the constitutionality of the King's October 11 appointment of
the interim government. The Ambassador acknowledged there is
some dispute among the political parties on this question,
but noted the current domestic political situation is
""breaking new ground."" No previous King had ever used the
authority apparently granted him under Clause 127 of the
Constitution; the Clause itself has never been subjected to
judicial review. The important thing is that all Nepalis,
regardless of political affiliation, present a united front
against the Maoists. The King is trying, so far with limited
success, to make this happen.


9. (C) Once former Prime Minister Sher Bahadur Deuba was
expelled from the Nepali Congress and registered his own
party with the Election Commission, he was no longer the
leader of the largest party in Parliament and thus lost the
moral right to be Prime Minister, Shah said. Had King
Gyanendra had agreed to Deuba's request for a year-long
extension in office, such an act would have been ""a massive
violation"" of the Constitution. Shah believes the King acted
to save the Constitution. He had to dismiss Deuba before
October 6--the deadline set by the Election Commission to
file nominations for general elections--and before
campaigning began in earnest. The basic tasks of the
caretaker government are to hold elections--within six months
at the latest--and to restore security. While acknowledging
that so far there has been no popular outcry against the
King's action, he believes the caretaker government can
expect ""only a few months of good will"" before the public
grows impatient for results.

-------------- --
BIOGRAPHIC INFORMATION ON NARENDRA BIKRAM SHAH
-------------- --


10. (SBU) Narendra Bikram Shah, called out of retirement by
his October 11 appointment as Foreign Minister by King
Gyanendra, had a lengthy and distinguished career in Nepal's
Foreign Service, serving as Ambassador in both the Panchayat
era and after the restoration of democracy in 1990. Shah
held the post of Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN
from 1995-1999; Foreign Secretary from 1986 to 1992; and as
Ambassador to the USSR from 1981 to 1985. A former
diplomatic colleague at the UN describes him as witty,
intelligent, and a long-time friend to the U.S.

11. (U) Shah was born January 1, 1940, in Dhadhing District
in central Nepal. He graduated with a Masters degree in
history from Calcutta University in 1960. He returned to
India as Counselor at Nepal's Embassy in New Delhi from
1972-1976.


12. (U) DAS Camp did not have the opportunity to clear this
message before departing from Kathmandu.
MALINOWSKI
"