Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05KATHMANDU2906
2005-12-23 06:27:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
SECRETARY GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT EAGER FOR
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UNCLAS KATHMANDU 002906
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS AND H
DEPT PASS TO HOUSE STAFFDEL SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL NP
SUBJECT: SECRETARY GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT EAGER FOR
PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGE
Not Confident of Acting Parliament Anytime Soon
--------------------------------------------- ---
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 002906
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS AND H
DEPT PASS TO HOUSE STAFFDEL SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL NEPAL'>NP
SUBJECT: SECRETARY GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT EAGER FOR
PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGE
Not Confident of Acting Parliament Anytime Soon
-------------- ---
1. (SBU) On December 21, Surya Kiran Gurung, Secretary
General of NEPAL's Parliament, met with a Congressional
Staffdel and welcomed possible future Parliamentary exchange
between the two countries, although he was not confident that
NEPAL would have an acting Parliament in the near future.
Gurung noted that despite the King's February 1 dissolving of
the Parliament, under the Constitution, a small group of
Parliament officials, including himself and the spokesman,
remained in their job until they filed papers for Parliament
candidacy. He added that all but 19 Upper House members'
terms had expired, as the government could not hold elections
due to the ongoing Maoist insurgency. He said that the
Parties-Maoist 12 point understanding had widened the gulf
between the Parties and the Palace. He added that the
Parties had promised not only to boycott, but to disturb the
February 2006 municipal elections. He said he would have to
"wait and see" how the municipal elections went before
commenting on the King's proposed Parliamentary elections in
early 2007.
Palace and Parties Should Reconcile Before Engaging Maoists
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) Gurung explained that the Parties were engaged in
reactive politics, and suggested that both the King and the
Parties should do more to work together. He said the Maoists
were the "best player," skillfully causing a split between
the legitimate democratic forces. He noted that the Maoists
were not willing to bide their time to increase support and
turned violent after briefly participating in the Parliament
in the early 1990's. He therefore found it hard to trust the
Maoists' sincerity as they seemed to capitalize on prejudices
to create chaos. Gurung was highly critical of the 12 point
understanding for holding the Maoists, a terrorist group, on
equal level with the Royal NEPALese Army (RNA). He said he
could never tell the international community not to supply
arms to the RNA, as a Maoist takeover of the country was
unacceptable. He called for confidence building measures
between the Palace and the Parties to create a broad
framework before undertaking any negotiations with the
Maoists. He urged the USG to try to help build an
environment for Palace-Party dialogue and to "not wait to see
the country governed by Maoists."
3. (SBU) Attendees
Staffdel:
-- J. Matthew Szymanski, Chief of Staff, House Small Business
Committee
-- Christopher Szymanski, Staff Assistant, House Small
Business Committee
-- Dawn Petchell, Senior Policy Adviser, Bureau of
Legislative Affairs (H Bureau)
-- James Garrison, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army House Liaison
NEPALi Parliamentarians:
-- Surya Kiran Gurung, Secretary General of Parliament
-- Mukunda Sharma, Spokesperson of Parliament
-- Manohar Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary of Parliament
-- K.P. Pandey, Joint Secretary of Parliament
4. (U) Staffdel Szymanski cleared this message.
MILLARD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR SA/INS AND H
DEPT PASS TO HOUSE STAFFDEL SZYMANSKI
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL NEPAL'>NP
SUBJECT: SECRETARY GENERAL OF PARLIAMENT EAGER FOR
PARLIAMENTARY EXCHANGE
Not Confident of Acting Parliament Anytime Soon
-------------- ---
1. (SBU) On December 21, Surya Kiran Gurung, Secretary
General of NEPAL's Parliament, met with a Congressional
Staffdel and welcomed possible future Parliamentary exchange
between the two countries, although he was not confident that
NEPAL would have an acting Parliament in the near future.
Gurung noted that despite the King's February 1 dissolving of
the Parliament, under the Constitution, a small group of
Parliament officials, including himself and the spokesman,
remained in their job until they filed papers for Parliament
candidacy. He added that all but 19 Upper House members'
terms had expired, as the government could not hold elections
due to the ongoing Maoist insurgency. He said that the
Parties-Maoist 12 point understanding had widened the gulf
between the Parties and the Palace. He added that the
Parties had promised not only to boycott, but to disturb the
February 2006 municipal elections. He said he would have to
"wait and see" how the municipal elections went before
commenting on the King's proposed Parliamentary elections in
early 2007.
Palace and Parties Should Reconcile Before Engaging Maoists
-------------- --------------
2. (SBU) Gurung explained that the Parties were engaged in
reactive politics, and suggested that both the King and the
Parties should do more to work together. He said the Maoists
were the "best player," skillfully causing a split between
the legitimate democratic forces. He noted that the Maoists
were not willing to bide their time to increase support and
turned violent after briefly participating in the Parliament
in the early 1990's. He therefore found it hard to trust the
Maoists' sincerity as they seemed to capitalize on prejudices
to create chaos. Gurung was highly critical of the 12 point
understanding for holding the Maoists, a terrorist group, on
equal level with the Royal NEPALese Army (RNA). He said he
could never tell the international community not to supply
arms to the RNA, as a Maoist takeover of the country was
unacceptable. He called for confidence building measures
between the Palace and the Parties to create a broad
framework before undertaking any negotiations with the
Maoists. He urged the USG to try to help build an
environment for Palace-Party dialogue and to "not wait to see
the country governed by Maoists."
3. (SBU) Attendees
Staffdel:
-- J. Matthew Szymanski, Chief of Staff, House Small Business
Committee
-- Christopher Szymanski, Staff Assistant, House Small
Business Committee
-- Dawn Petchell, Senior Policy Adviser, Bureau of
Legislative Affairs (H Bureau)
-- James Garrison, Lieutenant Colonel, U.S. Army House Liaison
NEPALi Parliamentarians:
-- Surya Kiran Gurung, Secretary General of Parliament
-- Mukunda Sharma, Spokesperson of Parliament
-- Manohar Prasad Bhattarai, Joint Secretary of Parliament
-- K.P. Pandey, Joint Secretary of Parliament
4. (U) Staffdel Szymanski cleared this message.
MILLARD