DEFENSE SECRETARY: GOVERNMENT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001239 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/12/2016 TAGS: PGOV MARR NP SUBJECT: DEFENSE SECRETARY: GOVERNMENT'S RELATIONSHIP WITH ARMY TO CHANGE Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). ¶1. (C) Bishnu Dutta Uprety, Ministry of Defense Secretary, told A/DCM and Pol/Econ Chief May 12 that the Ministry of Defense would soon become a "player." Uprety said that Prime Minister Koirala had stressed to him that the focal point for military policy issues must be the Ministry of Defense, and that the RNA should be "part of the government, not a separate body of government." Uprety said he had mentioned to the army the government's new concept. He expected the Cabinet to ask him to submit a proposal for a new relationship that would establish civilian control over the army. ¶2. (C) Uprety acknowledged that the Ministry of Defense was currently a "small ministry." It had only fifty or so staff and an additional fifty staff in the Department of Defense Account Controls, which distributed pensions to retired soldiers and did some other accounting work related to the army. He explained that the army itself was, until now, linked to the Palace. The RNA had close links with the military wing of the Palace Secretariat, which was manned by approximately 300 military personnel. He noted that Chief of Army Staff General Pyar Jung Thapa also headed up the Palace Secretariat's military wing. He said it was likely the new SIPDIS government would dismantle the military wing of the secretariat. SIPDIS ¶3. (C) Uprety expressed his appreciation for U.S. assistance to Nepal, and for U.S. support for the new government. The A/DCM assured him that the U.S. would continue to help. Uprety suggested that the Ministry might need assistance to computerize records. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Uprety knows/hopes big changes are around the corner, but is waiting to get his marching orders from the Cabinet. MORIARTY