NEPAL: UML ADVOCATES ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000426

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SA/INS
LONDON FOR POL - RIEDEL

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/06/2013
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: UML ADVOCATES ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT

REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 0292


B. (B) KATHMANDU 0312

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

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SUMMARY
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1. (C) The Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist
Leninist (UML) began a month-long campaign on March 6 to
create public support for an all-party interim government.
Although UML sources were optimistic about garnering support
for the plan from the other Parliamentary parties, none has
so far publicly voiced support. Unfortunately for UML leader
Madhav Nepal, however, news of the campaign has been crowded
off the front page by coverage of a threatened split within
the UML leadership. The UML will have to demonstrate that it
can maintain unity within its own ranks before it can expect
to persuade other parties to accept its leadership in an
all-party government. End summary.

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UML FLOATS ALL-PARTY GOVERNMENT PROPOSAL
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2. (SBU) On March 6 the Communist Party of Nepal - United
Marxist Leninist (UML) began a month-long campaign to
generate public and multi-partisan support for an all-party
government to replace the interim government appointed by
King Gyanendra in October. According to UML Central
Committee Member Jhala Nath Khanal, the campaign will consist
of mass meetings, seminars, and press conferences to be held
at the national and district levels. Khanal said his party
is confident its proposal will win the support of the other
parties that had members in the previous Parliament. (Note:
Implicit in the proposal is that an all-party government
should be headed by the leader of the largest party--UML
General Secretary Madhav Kumar Nepal. End note.)


3. (SBU) Khanal admitted that the UML so far has no firm
commitments from other parties to support the proposal. The
most difficult to persuade, he conceded, will be the Nepali
Congress, whose President G.P. Koirala continues to insist on
reinstatement of the previous Parliament as the only
acceptable alternative. The UML has not yet formally
presented its proposal to King Gyanendra, but will do so once
it can demonstrate that the Parliamentary parties support its
approach. Khanal asserted that "some people closely
connected to the Palace" had indicated the King would approve
it.


4. (C) The UML has not yet discussed the proposal "in
depth" with the Maoists either, Khanal said. He raised the
subject in February with unidentified Maoists who attended a
conference in Switzerland with him on conflict resolution.
The Maoists' reaction was ambivalent, he reported--"not
against it" but unsure how an all-party government could be
turned to their advantage.

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GAUTAM STRAYS OFF PARTY LINE
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5. (SBU) Unfortunately for Madhav Nepal, media coverage of
his party's campaign for multi-partisan unity was
substantially overshadowed by press speculation of a
potential split (again) in the UML's upper ranks. Bamdev
Gautam, erstwhile leader of a breakaway, further-left faction
that reunited with the UML one year ago, reportedly was
censured by the Central Committee on March 6 for expressing
pupblic support for the proposed constituent assembly
advocated by the Maoists. (Note: The official party line is
that the UML is "open" to discussing the idea; privately, UML
leaders have told us they do not support the proposal.)
Khanal attempted to downplay the controversy, suggesting that
the media had exaggerated the rift and denying that Gautam
had been ordered to appear before the party's disciplinary
committee.

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COMMENT
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6. (C) While the political parties have been united in
their opposition to the non-party government appointed by the
King in October, multi-partisan agreement on what should
replace that government has continued to elude them. Despite
Khanal's optimism, we have seen no signs that the other
parties, which have more typically advocated proposals that
ensure their own leadership in an alternative interim
government, will sacrifice their partisan interests to put
Madhav Nepal into office. The Maoists, who regard the more
moderate UML as ideological traitors, may also play spoiler.
Gautam's decision to buck party authority by advocating the
constituent assembly--the Maoists' trademark demand--just as
Madhav Nepal is trying to position himself as a national
leader has the Maoists' fingerprints all over it. Gautam's
very public position will make it difficult for Madhav Nepal
to project himself as capable of leading an all-party
government when he cannot even ensure full support within his
own party.
MALINOWSKI