INDIA UNDECIDED ON CHR NEPAL RESOLUTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002379 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2015 TAGS: PREL PHUM IN NP EU UK SZ SUBJECT: INDIA UNDECIDED ON CHR NEPAL RESOLUTION REF: STATE 54530 Classified By: A/Polcouns Matt Boyse, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) We shared reftel demarche with MEA J/S (North) Ranjit Rae on March 28 regarding the need to improve GON human rights record or face an Item 9 resolution at the CHR. After repeated attempts to elicit a response from the J/S proved unsuccessful, A/Polcouns managed to reach him in the early evening of March 30. ¶2. (C) Rae appreciated our position, commenting that it was "very strong" and hoping that it would have an impact. The MEA had not yet taken a position because it had not yet reconciled conflicting views on the issue of Item 9 vs. Item 19 resolutions. On the one hand there was New Delhi's historic opposition to country specific cases, while on the other the GOI remained extremely concerned about developments in Nepal. He had heard little positive news of late from Kathmandu, where authorities had even recently detained three prominent academics from leaving the country (a reference to former Nepalese Ambassador to India Lokraj Baral's failed attempt on March 25 to fly to Goa to attend a conference). The GOI was still grappling with this dilemma, he concluded. MULFORD