GOI OPPOSES NON-LETHAL MILITARY AID AND MEDICAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 001615

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015
TAGS: PREL PHUM MOPS EAID IN NP
SUBJECT: GOI OPPOSES NON-LETHAL MILITARY AID AND MEDICAL
TRAINING FOR RNA

REF: A. KATHMANDU 470


B. DELHI 1482

Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake, Jr. for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) The GOI feels strongly that the USG should delay the
first phase of the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET)
for the Royal Nepalese Army, because this is not the time to
send mixed messages to the King. In a March 2 meeting with
Polcouns and Poloff scheduled to discuss Bhutan, MEA Joint
Secretary (Nepal) Ranjit Rae raised the issued of US military

SIPDIS
assistance to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA),following on a
March 1 discussion between our Ambassadors in Kathmandu (Ref
A). Drawing on Refs A and B, Polcouns explained that our
possible JCET would provide medical training with a
humanitarian intent. We also noted the GOI's decision not to
return RNA students receiving military training in India if
that training is ongoing. Rae argued that it was imperative
that there be no daylight between the GOI and USG position
and that medical training provided by US troops inside Nepal
would be seen by His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) as
a normalization of military relations.


2. (C) Rae emphasized that the RNA was starting to feel the
squeeze and now was not the time to soften our position,
citing as evidence a phone call between the RNA chief and an
Indian counterpart in which the Nepalese appealed for India
to re-open its pipeline. He added that the GOI is "getting
feelers that the King is having a re-think and could release
political prisoners and restore democratic freedoms as early
as next week." With this in mind, Rae asserted, the USG
should hold the line on lethal and non-lethal equipment and
training in Nepal. He conceded that the GOI will allow
military training of Nepalese officers in India to continue,
but no training is being conducted across the border and no
military equipment of any sort is being provided by India to
the RNA. Rae noted that the issue of non-lethal US military
equipment had not been raised with Foreign Secretary Saran
when Ambassador Moriarty saw him on February 26 (Ref B).


3. (C) Rae commented that Nepal was becoming a major issue
in domestic politics. The Foreign Minister confirmed to the
DCM at a social function that Nepal would be the first
question he faces in this Parliamentary session. He added
that he was encouraged that Indian political parties were
maintaining a united front on the issue and not giving the
King reason to be optimistic. He concluded that the message
to the King remained that he needs to make some move towards
democracy in order to receive assistance from the GOI.
MULFORD