FM PANDEY ON UNSC REFORM, RELATIONS WITH INDIA

S E C R E T KATHMANDU 001267 SIPDIS NOFORN DEPT FOR SA/INS NSC FOR GREEN/DORMANDY LONDON FOR POL-BELL E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/10/2015 TAGS: PGOV PINS NP GON SUBJECT: FM PANDEY ON UNSC REFORM, RELATIONS WITH INDIA REF: KATHMANDU 1219 Classified By: Charge Elisabeth I. Millard, Reasons 1.4 (b/d) NEED TO REACH OUT TO POLITICAL PARTIES -------------- ¶1. (C) On June 9 the Charge pressed Foreign Minister Ramesh Nath Pandey on the need for His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) to reach out to the political parties. She explained that Washington was focused on Nepal and needed a sense of how the process of returning to democracy would move forward. Noting recent positive steps, including numerous releases of political detainees, she stressed that HMGN still needed to create a conducive environment for talks with the political parties. She urged the King to reach out and meet with Party leaders. Pandey reassured the Charge that it could be done and he would work to arrange it, but Nepal did not want to be seen as starting a dialogue in response to Indian pressure. The FonMin worried that the Government of India (GOI) was meeting with Nepal's Party leaders in New Delhi, but were not engaged or communicating with HMGN. He reiterated concerns that the GOI was brokering a deal between the Maoists and Nepal's political parties. The Charge reassured FM Pandey that the U.S. was watching and working with the GOI. UNSC REFORM -------------- ¶2. (C) Using IO guidance to respond to FM Pandey's previous request (reftel),the Charge explained the U.S. position on UN Security Council Reform. Pandey stated that he did not believe the UN would decide on the G-4 proposal before UNGA. He explained that Nepal supported Japan's request for permanent membership, but opined that Japan's decision to join the G-4 could hurt its case. He added that not a single country in South Asia wanted India to become a permanent member of the Security Council because India was already so strong in the region. The Foreign Minister was concerned that a premature consideration of the G-4 proposal could be very divisive and have serious consequences on the UN's effectiveness. He suggested postponing a decision and seeking an alternative proposal. He recommended appointing a committee made up of 20-25 Foreign Ministers from across the spectrum of developed to least-developed countries; the committee would propose modalities for UNSC reform. The Charge undertook to pass his idea back for Washington's consideration. MORE CONCERN ABOUT POSSIBLE INDIAN SUPPORT FOR MAOISTS -------------- -------------- ¶3. (S/NF) FM Pandey told the Charge that he had received very disturbing news from Chief of Army Staff Thapa that India's Research and Intelligence wing had been training the Maoists at the same location where the APF had been trained, Dehra Dun (he did not give a time frame). The Charge, noting this was a very serious allegation that appeared unlikely, requested that the FonMin pass any evidence supporting this claim through liaison channels. MILLARD