NEPAL: A/S ROCCA'S DECEMBER 16 MEETING WITH THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 KATHMANDU 002472

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS, LONDON FOR POL/GURNEY, NSC FOR MILLARD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/15/2013
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM PREF ECON NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: A/S ROCCA'S DECEMBER 16 MEETING WITH THE
PRIME MINISTER

REF: A. A. KATHMANDU 1805

B. B. USDAO KATHMANDU IIR 6867 0028 03

Classified By: Assistant Secretary Christina Rocca for reasons 1.5 (B,D
)

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Summary
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1. (C) On December 16, Christina Rocca, Assistant Secretary
for South Asian Affairs, accompanied by Ambassador
Malinowski, met with Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa to
discuss Nepal-U.S. bilateral relations and Nepal's ongoing
Maoist insurgency. Thapa expressed the GON's appreciation
for USG assistance with the Maoist insurgency. Rocca
stressed the importance of the Government of Nepal (GON)
upholding high standards on human rights, indicating that
violations could affect U.S. security assistance. Thapa
assured A/S Rocca that human rights were an area of mutual
concern. Thapa assured A/S Rocca that proposed "Village
Defense Committees" are intended to "re-motivate" villagers
with a higher security presence. Thapa stated that the King
is committed to holding elections within the next six months
and expressed hope that the political parties will join the
Government following an official announcement of elections.
The Prime Minister, A/S Rocca and Ambassador also discussed
Bhutanese refugees, Nepal's entry into the WTO and SAARC.
End Summary.

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Human Rights
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2. (C) On December 16, Christina Rocca, Assistant Secretary
for South Asian Affairs, accompanied by Ambassador
Malinowski, met with Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa to
discuss Nepal-U.S. bilateral relations and Nepal's ongoing
Maoist insurgency. Thapa explained that Nepal is undergoing
two crises: the Maoist insurgency and the lack of consensus
between the Government of Nepal (GON) and the political
parties. Thanking A/S Rocca for USG support to counter the
insurgency, Thapa requested that the U.S. continue to provide
military and other assistance to combat the problem. A/S
Rocca responded that continued USG support would be affected
if the GON failed to take a strong stand to protect human
rights according to international standards. Noting the
recent incident in Ramechhap (ref A),A/S Rocca said that
although the Maoists commit frequent abuses, Nepal's security
forces must be held to a higher standard. A/S Rocca
requested that Thapa pass the message to all involved parties
that human rights are important for future cooperation and
assistance. Thapa acknowledged that promoting and preserving
human rights are areas of mutual concern. Indicating that
the GON had heard this message from many donors in Nepal,
Thapa stated that Nepal is committed to human rights--a
commitment demonstrated in its various human rights cells
within the security forces. Noting that an investigation is
underway on the Ramechhap incident, Thapa indicated that
appropriate action will be taken once findings are complete.

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Clarification on the Proposed "Civic Peace
and Development Mobilization Committee"
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3. (C) A/S Rocca asked Thapa to clarify the "Village
Defense Committee," now known as "Civic Peace and Development
Mobilization Committee" (ref B),asking if the GON plans to
create a militia or to arm civilians, as news reports allege.
Thapa responded, "As you know, the press here is not
reliable. They have a tendency to distort facts and
manufacture truths." He explained that the concept is not
intended to aggravate the conflict further by arming
civilians. Instead, the purpose is to establish a security
presence in the villages and to "re-motivate" the villagers.
(Note: Royal Nepalese Army officials clarified this statement
later. See RNA briefing information septel. End Note.)


4. (C) Saying he wanted to debunk rumors that the GON is
becoming an increasingly militarized state, Thapa assured A/S
Rocca that the military remains under the control of a
civilian committee. This committee, which he as Prime
Minister chairs, is responsible for directing military
operations and the movement of security forces around Nepal.
(Note: The PM is technically correct in saying the Army is
run by a civilian authority, which he chairs. What he
neglected to say, however, is that the only other member of
that committee is the Chief of Army Staff. Despite their
status as Chairmen of the National Defense Committee, Prime
Ministers historically have had little or no role in
directing military operations. The King wields the ultimate
authority over the Army in his capacity as Head of State and
as Supreme Commander. End Note.)

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Committed to Elections
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5. (C) Thapa said that the GON is committed to a "road map"
of socio-economic and political development. Aspects of this
road map, according to Thapa, include ensuring village
security, delivering needed services and combating
corruption. The ultimate goal of the road map is to hold
both municipal and parliamentary elections. Thapa indicated
that the GON has made several overtures to political parties
to join the Government in the fight against the Maoists.
During the cease-fire negotiations, Thapa claimed that GON
made it a point to notify and consult with the party leaders.
The political parties, according to Thapa, have assured the
GON that they will participate and support both local and
parliamentary elections when they are held. Thapa said he
believes that once there is a formal declaration of
elections, the parties will rejoin the Government. A/S Rocca
replied that cooperation between the GON and political
parties was essential in order to deny the Maoists the
opportunity to exploit partisan differences.


6. (C) Thapa says he expects elections sometime within the
next six months, but noted that this needs to be discussed
with the newly appointed Election Commissioner. Endorsing
the GON's commitment to work with the political parties on
elections, A/S Rocca questioned whether security would be a
prerequisite for holding elections. Thapa stated that it
would be best if the Maoists went back to the negotiating
table and noted that the King has set a deadline of six
months to restart negotiations. Even if this does not
happen, Thapa emphasized that the King is committed to
holding elections in a phased manner and transferring power
back to the people.


7. (C) Thapa requested continued USG cooperation on security
assistance. A/S Rocca explained that the FY 2004 budget
would not be finalized until early February 2004 at the
earliest. Noting that USG assistance levels are being scaled
back around the world, A/S Rocca stressed that it was too
early to tell what the levels for Nepal might be, she
indicated that the GON should be prepared to settle for less
assistance as a result of this trend. She added that since
human rights and democratization issues are the utmost
concern in all levels of the USG, GON should make an strong
effort to show its commitment on these matters.

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Other Issues:
Bhutanese Refugees, WTO, SAARC
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8. (C) Thapa expressed the GON's appreciation for the USG's
support for Bhutanese refugee repatriation and on Nepal's
entry into the World Trade Organization (WTO). A/S Rocca
said that the USG is committed to a long-term solution to the
Bhutanese refugee problem, noting that there were a number of
matters to be resolved like the registration and resettlement
of those repatriated to Bhutan. From recent meetings with
Bhutanese officials in association with the upcoming SAARC
Summit, Thapa said he believes that the Bhutanese Government
is interested in solving this matter. With regard to WTO,
the Ambassador and A/S expressed their congratulations to
Thapa on Nepal entering the WTO.


9. (C) Although Thapa indicated that he was initially
concerned that Indo-Pakistani relations would cloud dialogue,
he is now confident that the SAARC Summit in Islamabad,
January 4-6, will be a success. A/S Rocca agreed that SAARC
is a potential important building block of the Indo-Pakistani
bilateral relationship. She endorsed SAARC as a mechanism
not only to improve the dialogue between India and Pakistan,
but also to lift the economic and political levels of all
member countries. The Ambassador and A/S Rocca wished Thapa
well on his final meetings in Bangladesh and the Maldives to
complete coordination on the proposed South Asian Free Trade
Agreement (SAFTA).

COMMENT
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10. (C) A/S Rocca's emphasis on the importance of human
rights is especially timely, as the Royal Nepal Army reopens
its investigation into the incidents at Ramechhap. Given the
persistent climate of mistrust between the GON and the
political parties, as well as the shaky security situation,
we find the suggestions that elections can be held in six
months overly optimistic. Before the elections can occur,
there must be some glimmer of reconciliation between the
parties and the GON. Not only would the parties have to
agree to participate, but they also would need time to
rebuild the party organizations that have been shattered
across the countryside by Maoist violence. End Comment.


11. (U) A/S Rocca has cleared this cable.
MALINOWSKI