PARTIES AND PALACE NEGOTIATING OVER ROYAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001034 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR P, SCA E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/24/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER PREL NP SUBJECT: PARTIES AND PALACE NEGOTIATING OVER ROYAL COMMUNIQUE REF: KATHMANDU Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). King Leaning The Right Way -------------- ¶1. (C) On April 23 and 24, the Palace and Nepali Congress leader GP Koirala and UML Secretary General MK Nepal exchanged notes on a possible text for a Palace Communique that would be acceptable to the seven-party alliance. Although the King at times indicated he was leaning toward more repressive measures, the back and forth was a hopeful sign. In an April 23 evening meeting with King Gyanendra, Indian Ambassador Shiv Mukherjee pushed him to quickly issue a communique that contains all the elements demanded by the Parties. The Indian Ambassador refused the King's request to become personally involved in working out the details of a text, and emphasized the King and the Parties should come to closure speedily on this because events were slipping out of control. Negotiating Another Statement by the King -------------- ¶2. (C) The leaders of the seven-party alliance separately told the Ambassador on April 24 about their efforts to negotiate a text of another statement with King Gyanendra. Nepali Congress (NC) President GP Koirala said that he was somewhat hopeful the alliance could work out something with the King. NC Central Committee member Ram Sharan Mahat told the Ambassador that the Parties had given a memorandum of their conditions to the Palace on April 23. The Parties' stated demands are that the King: recognize that the ultimate source of state authority and national people are the Nepali people; restore the House of Representatives; facilitate the newly formed government, including its attempts to bring the early resolution of the ongoing armed conflict and a peaceful resolution of the political crisis; and express sorrow for the deaths, injuries and suffering of the people. According to Prabhakar Rana, one of the King's confidants, the Palace had dispatched emissaries to the Party leaders on April 24. Nepali Congress (Democratic) President Sher Bahadur Deuba said there were concerns over the King's desire to cite Article 127 as the basis for reinstating Parliament. Deuba noted that UML leader MK Nepal was reluctant to include a reference to Article 127, given the King's past history of using that article to claim power. Mukherjee had suggested to the King that he not focus on the constitutional basis, but just take the necessary action. The Ambassador urged the political leaders to respond positively if the King issued an agreed-upon statement and assured them of our support, especially vis-a-vis Maoist pressure. COAS: King Will Reinstate Parliament -------------- ¶3. (C) Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa reportedly believed that the King would release an announcement reinstating Parliament either April 24 or 25. According to Thapa, the King realized he had to become a ceremonial monarch. Thapa also noted that the King had expressed concerns that reinstatement of Parliament might be illegal, but nevertheless indicated he would move ahead. Thapa stated that RNA troops were not being used for crowd control and had orders not to fire live ammunition. International Community Pulling The Same Way -------------- ¶4. (C) The Ambassador discussed events and our decision to request ordered departure given the deteriorating situation with a number of his colleagues in the diplomatic community, as well as notifying the political party leaders and government officials. The international community appears to be passing a unified message to the King, urging him to act quickly in accordance with the Parties' demands. The international community is also assuring the Parties of international support to buck them up against Maoist and mob pressure. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) An April 24 communique by the King in advance of the Parties' large demonstrations planned for April 25 (septel) could help start to defuse the situation. The Maoist wildcard remains an important obstacle. MORIARTY