VICE-CHAIRMAN GIRI SAYS KING HAS "NO OBJECTIONS"

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002213 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/INS NSC FOR GREEN LONDON FOR BELL E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/07/2015 TAGS: PGOV PINS PREL NP SUBJECT: VICE-CHAIRMAN GIRI SAYS KING HAS "NO OBJECTIONS" TO TALKS REF: KATHMANDU 2014 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons 1.4 (b/d) Parties Still Ready to Talk With the King -------------- ¶1. (C) The Ambassador met with Vice-Chairman Dr. Tulsi Giri on October 7 regarding Giri's earlier request that the Ambassador discuss with political party leaders a possible interlocutor to facilitate reconciliation with the Palace (reftel). The Ambassador explained that the Party leaders all said that they would respond positively if the King tried to reach out. The Ambassador added that the Party leaders had cautioned that they might have to use rhetoric claiming victory to assuage Party members, but the King should not take that as an indication that they were not interested in dialogue. The political parties were very nervous about the Maoists and had decided that working with the King would be the better path, if possible. The Party leaders, however, had a less coherent response to the question of using an intermediary. They feared that there was no trustworthy Nepali who could mediate between them and the King; however, if the King made some gestures to build confidence, and someone from the Palace presented a reasonable agenda, talks could occur. The Ambassador also relayed a suggestion that the King could have a pre-meeting with NC President GP Koirala and CPN-UML General Secretary MK Nepal as a confidence building measure, before holding substantive meetings. "King Has No Objection to Meeting" -------------- ¶2. (C) Dr. Giri stressed that the King "had no objection to meeting whomever the parties chose for a discussion." The Vice-Chairman opined that a meeting could be worked out and suggested that he would "chat with the King." He agreed that the Palace and the Parties could try to build confidence by first having a general meeting to discuss the way forward. He understood that this should be done as quickly as possible. Giri said he might go to Pokhara on October 8 or 9 to meet with the King, who would return to Kathmandu on October 10. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) We hope that our repeated messages to HMGN interlocutors on the need for reconciliation between the Palace and the Parties will have a cumulative effect. Indeed, FM Pandey told us on October 6 that the King would use his October 13 Dasain message to the people to make some positive moves. MORIARTY