NEPAL: MAOISTS TO MEET EMBOFFS

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000691 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR SA/INS AND DS/IP/SA LONDON FOR POL - GURNEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2013 TAGS: PTER PREL NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOISTS TO MEET EMBOFFS REF: A. (A) KATHMANDU 0677 ¶B. (B) STATE 90666 ¶C. (C) STATE 74113 ¶D. (D) KATHMANDU 0621 Classified By: AMB. MICHAEL E. MALINOWSKI. REASON: 1.5 (B,D). ¶1. (C) Following Ref C guidance, on April 16 poloff contacted known Maoist sympathizer Padma Ratna Tuladhar to convey Embassy agreement to meet at the First Secretary level with Maoist representatives. Poloff advised Tuladhar that the RSO will also participate in the meeting, which has been tentatively scheduled for the afternoon of Friday, April 25, at the Embassy. ¶2. (C) Poloff stipulated that the meeting will be contingent upon Maoist conduct during the upcoming strikes scheduled by various student unions (Ref A). Tuladhar protested that the Maoists are not sponsoring the strikes and cannot be held accountable for them. Poloff countered that the Embassy will indeed hold the Maoists responsible for the behavior of its affiliated student union and reminded him that Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai had been quoted in the press as saying the Maoists "support" the strikes. She added that there must be no press coverage of the meeting. Tuladhar agreed that the appointment would be kept "confidential." He promised to contact poloff with the names and dates of birth of the proposed participants. ¶3. (C) Comment: It remains to be seen whether Baburam Bhattarai will accept a meeting held at the more modest level of First Secretary, rather than Ambassador. Tuladhar's dissembling notwithstanding, we expect the Maoists will attempt to exploit any meeting for publicity purposes. If so, we will use the press guidance provided in Ref B. MALINOWSKI