NEPALI PRIME MINISTER THAPA RESIGNS

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000880

SIPDIS

SENSITIVE

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

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV NP GON
SUBJECT: NEPALI PRIME MINISTER THAPA RESIGNS

REF: KATHMANDU 845 AND PREVIOUS


1. (U) At 3:00 p.m. local time Prime Minister Surya Bahadur
Thapa announced his resignation in a national radio
broadcast. No immediate announcement of a successor has been
made.


2. (SBU) Comment: A coalition of five democratic parties
have held near-daily rallies against Thapa's government since
April 1 and have been protesting his appointment by the King
as illegitimate since he first took office in June 2003. The
parties have been demanding Thapa's resignation as a
precondition to beginning talks with King Gyanendra aimed at
forming a multi-party government (Reftel). The King has
indicated, both directly to the Embassy and through
intermediaries, that he was considering a change in
government. He had to keep the Thapa government intact,
however, long enough to host the Nepal Development Forum May
5-6 . With the Development Forum now safely over, we expect
the King to announce a new Prime Minister within the next few
days.
BOGUE