VISITING EUROPEAN COMMISSION DELEGATION ON NEED TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001399 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/02/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER EAID NP SUBJECT: VISITING EUROPEAN COMMISSION DELEGATION ON NEED TO BOLSTER GOVERNMENT REF: KATHMANDU 1398 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). Need to Support Government ... -------------- ¶1. (C) Herve Jouanjean, Deputy Director General of the European Commission's Directorate for External Relations told the Ambassador and Pol/Econ Counselor June 2 that he was visiting Nepal to demonstrate the European Commission's (EC) support for the new government. Jouanjean stressed that the international community needed to unite "behind the government, otherwise we run the risk that the government could buckle." He worried how long the seven-party alliance could manage the process, given Maoist pressure. Jouanjean observed that the Maoists and the government were far from reaching agreement about the decommissioning of weapons. Instead, the Maoists had been vigorously engaged in extortion and looting, raising serious questions about their real intentions. ... And Not Legitimize the Maoists -------------- ¶2. (C) The Ambassador cautioned against the plan by some European donors to treat the Maoists as a parallel government, allowing them to have veto authority and taxation privileges over development projects. He emphasized the need to get development out into the countryside, but in a way that did not legitimize the Maoists. Jouanjean agreed with the Ambassador about the need for the international community to avoid doing anything that granted legitimacy to the Maoists. Instead, the international community should do everything possible to convince them that giving up arms and reentering the political mainstream was their best option. Jouanjean stressed that the international community should pressure the Maoists to "follow the route of dialogue." He noted that "the profile of the Maoists must be managed prudently," adding that the Maoists were clearly interested in getting what they could from talks, while being prepared to resume violence, if necessary, to assume power. International Role -------------- ¶3. (C) Jouanjean said he had assured Prime Minister Koirala and other government of Nepal (GON) officials of the EC's support. He noted that the EC was willing to send observers to constituent assembly elections. He also expressed support for a "witness" observing peace talks between the Maoists and the government. He acknowledged that India had reservations about outside involvement. He added that, although the talks did not need a facilitator, a witness who was not involved with monitoring could play a very positive role. Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Jouanjean indicated the EC shares our concern about Maoist intentions. He agreed about the need for the international community to cooperate in strengthening the new democratic government's legitimacy. We need to get the rest of the international community on the same page. MORIARTY