KING RETURNS POWER TO THE PEOPLE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001021 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR D, P, SCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/21/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER NP SUBJECT: KING RETURNS POWER TO THE PEOPLE REF: KATHMANDU Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). King Turns Over of Power to Seven-Party Alliance -------------- -------------- ¶1. (U) In a 7:00 pm local time address to the nation on April 21, a besieged King Gyanendra announced that "executive power shall be returned to the people." He also indicated the monarch's power would be limited and emphasized that the "source of sovereignty is in the people." He called upon the seven-party alliance to recommend the name of a Prime Minister at the earliest to the Council of Ministers, which would continue to function until the appointment of a Prime Minister, who would then form the new government. The King also provided the new government with the direction to hold elections "as soon as possible" and to address the Maoist insurgency. The King suggested that the new government should "bring into the democratic mainstream those who have deviated." Comment -------------- ¶2. (C) It looks like the King has done what we wanted him to do. For example, his comment that sovereignty lies with the people should put to rest the argument of die-hard monarchists that sovereignty lies with the King. Now the question is, can the parties accept his offer. The parties plan to meet on April 22. We need to work with India to convince the Parties to accept victory and work among themselves to agree on a way forward. MORIARTY