POLITICAL LEADER DISCUSSES MAOISTS, PALACE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001194 SIPDIS STATE FOR SA/INS LONDON FOR POL/BELL NSC FOR DORMANDY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/03/2015 TAGS: PGOV PINS PHUM NP SUBJECT: POLITICAL LEADER DISCUSSES MAOISTS, PALACE RECONCILIATION Classified By: Charge Elisabeth Millard; Reasons 1.4 (b/d). NSP LEADER SPEAKS WITH TOP MAOIST LEADER -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Anil Jha, Joint Secretary General of the Nepal Sadbhavana Party-Anandi Devi (a small, terai-based, centrist party),told Emboff on June 2 that the seven party alliance would urge the Palace and the Maoists to enter into dialogue only after the reinstatement of the House of Representatives (Lower House). He also stated that his party's General Secretary, Hridayesh Tripathi, based in New Delhi, had been SIPDIS telephoned by Maoist leader Baburam Bhattarai the week of May ¶30. Bhattarai had indicated that he was not at that time in New Delhi, but would not disclose his location. Jha noted that Tripathi believed Bhattarai was then somewhere in India. Bhattarai said the Maoists were surveying the views of the parties, the public, and the international community on the current political upheaval in Nepal. Tripathi had told Bhattarai that the CPN (Maoists) should put aside their arms and join the parties in moving toward peace. He had also instructed Bhattarai that Maoists should stop attacking politicos. Bhattarai had indicated that the Maoist party was considering reconciliation with the protesting political parties. MOCK PARLIAMENT AND PARTY DEMANDS -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Jha told EmbOff that the seven party alliance would come up with a common agenda of twelve proposals, and that the leaders of the political parties would make their agenda public during a June 3 "Mock Parliament," which would include all former Parliamentarians and be held in Patan (adjoining Kathmandu). Jha stated that the political parties would pass the twelve proposals during the mock session. These proposals would include: reinstatement of the House of Representatives; establishment of an all-party government; dissolution of the Royal Commission for Corruption Control (RCCC); release of political detainees, cessation of media censorship; stoppage of the proposed ordinance to amend the Civil Service Act; initiation of dialogue with the Maoists; and a request for the King and the Maoists to come to the negotiating table after the reinstatement of Parliament. COMMENT -------------- ¶3. (C) Jha's report reveals yet additional information that the Maoists in India are busy reaching out to Nepal's political parties to seek some kind of accommodation. MILLARD