NEPAL: PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE DELIVERED TO PRIME

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001605

SIPDIS

NSC FOR GREEN/DORMANDY
LONDON FOR POL-GURNEY

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2014
TAGS: PGOV PREL NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: PRESIDENTIAL MESSAGE DELIVERED TO PRIME
MINISTER

REF: WHITE HOUSE 4060

Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d)


1. (U) On August 13, the Ambassador delivered by hand the
President's message of congratulations to the Prime
Minister. Upon its receipt, Prime Minister Deuba exclaimed
how he had always been an admirer of the President. The
Prime Minister noted that the President was making difficult
decisions and trying to build a better world, one free from
terrorism and weapons of mass destruction. Deuba added that
even when he was not in office, he was the only Nepali
political leader to come out publicly in favor of the Iraq
war. He expressed his hope that the President's vision would
prevail.

NEPALESE TROOPS FOR IRAQ
--------------


2. (C) The Prime Minister raised the possibility of
providing Nepalese troops for UN troop protection in Iraq.
He explained that although he supported such a deployment,
his main coalition partner had not been very positive. He
and the Ambassador agreed they would have to continue to
raise it again and again.

THE PEACE PROCESS
--------------


3. (C) Prime Minister Deuba discussed the way forward on the
peace process with Nepal's Maoists. Deuba said the Peace
Secretariat was taking shape, but would require one or two

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more weeks to gel, as membership was sorted out among the
coalition parties. He described a Peace Committee that would
have an apex political body; civil society would have input
and there would be an underbody of experts that would brief
the apex body. The Cabinet would then have to approve the
Peace Committee. Deuba mentioned there were concerns by the
Ministers that the apex body (which would consist primarily
of senior party officials) not be able to interfere in the
government.

THE INDIAN ROLE
--------------


4. (C) The Prime Minister stressed to the Ambassador that he
was talking with his coalition partners to gain agreement
regarding the conduct of peace talks with the Maoists. He
noted a number of concerns, the most difficult of which was
figuring out how to handle India. The Ambassador told him
the USG believed it important to keep India on the right side
of the process because India could play an important,
positive role. Deuba was also concerned about the venue,
which needed to be kept secret, as well as the details of the
talks. The Prime Minister commented that creating a common
position was a slow process that required continuous
consultations.

THREATS AGAINST U.S. FIRM
--------------


5. (C) The Ambassador also brought up Maoist threats against
an American joint venture company owned by Coca-Cola. The
Prime Minister assured the Ambassador that Chief of Army
Staff General Thapa had briefed him on the threat and that
the Royal Nepal Army would provide all necessary security.
Deuba told the Ambassador that the Government was also
preparing for the threatened August 18 blockade, although it
was not yet confirmed whether any blockade would actually
occur.
MORIARTY