INDIA PUSHING NEPALESE ARMY TO BE MORE ACTIVE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 006999

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/01/2014
TAGS: PREL PTER IN NP
SUBJECT: INDIA PUSHING NEPALESE ARMY TO BE MORE ACTIVE


Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt, Reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) The Royal Nepalese Army (RNA) should be more
proactive in the fight against the Maoists, MEA Joint
Secretary (Bhutan/Nepal) Ranjit Rae told Polcouns and Poloff

SIPDIS
in a November 1 meeting. Describing the recent India-Nepal
security cooperation group meeting, Rae reported that the GOI
pressed the RNA to demonstrate visible results in its
anti-insurgency campaign. New Delhi was "at a loss" as to
why the RNA had not been more forceful against the Maoists.
Rae believed the cease-fire, called on account of a major
local Hindu holiday, was over and that neither the GON nor
the Maoists would extend it through the upcoming November 12
Diwalli holidays, as the GOI had hoped.


2. (C) Looking ahead to King Gyanendra's late November visit
to India, Rae indicated that New Delhi would press for an
increased pace of counter-insurgent operations, viewing this
as, "one of the few buttons left to press." Rae said the GOI
will also reiterate to the King New Delhi's strong opposition
to any usurpation of emergency powers by the Palace. The
Indian DCM from Kathmandu (who was also present during this
meeting) added that he believed the US was reluctant to use
the Palace as a conduit to push for more aggressive use of
the RNA.


3. (C) Rae speculated that the October merger of the Maoist
Communist Center and the People's War Group to form the
Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-M),was influenced by
the Nepalese Maoists (Reftel 1244). He observed that this
development confirmed GOI concerns of a Maoist spillover into
India.


4. (C) Rae also commented on a conversation he recently had
with the visiting British Ambassador to Nepal, who reportedly
argued that taking a hard line with the Maoists might not be
the best way to solve the problem. Rae said the British
opinion was that a weakened Maoists position would only make
them more recalcitrant and less likely to negotiate. Rae said
that the GOI does not agree with this argument. He also
expressed frustration about the continued European reluctance
to press for a freeze on Maoist assets, calling this
symptomatic of their naive approach to the violence in Nepal.
MULFORD