FORMER PM DEUBA COMPLAINS PARTIES LEFT OUT OF

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001582 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/19/2016 TAGS: PGOV NP SUBJECT: FORMER PM DEUBA COMPLAINS PARTIES LEFT OUT OF NEGOTIATIONS WITH MAOISTS REF: 05 KATHMANDU 2556 Classified By: CDA Larry Schwartz. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). No Consultations About Meeting With Prachanda -------------- - ¶1. (C) On June 19, Charge D'Affaires Larry Schwartz met with former PM Sher Bahadur Deuba, President of the Nepali Congress-Democratic (NC-D),to seek his impression of the eight-point agreement reached between the Government of Nepal (GON) and the Maoists on June 16 (Septel). Deuba replied that he was surprised by the meeting between Prime Minister G.P. Koirala and Maoist Chairman Prachanda on June 16. He stressed that the although the two met for a few hours, but even today no one in the alliance of political parties had been briefed on what they discussed. Deuba lamented the fact that there was no consultation with the parties on principles for the negotiations before the meeting, and implied that he and the other members of the seven-party alliance were merely brought out as window dressing for the public announcement of an agreement that had been reached that day without their consultation. Need to Control Maoist Arms -------------- ¶2. (C) Deuba stressed that the Maoists must give up their weapons and the UN should oversee this, but had no suggestions as to how this should be done. Deuba said that many people in the Seven-Party Alliance distrusted the Nepal Army, so it would be difficult to bring it into a supporting role for the GON negotiations. He commented that six of the seven parties in the alliance did not trust the Maoists, with the exception being the People's Front Nepal, a party close to the Maoists. Deuba stated that Prachanda "sold a dream to poor people in the country, and now he is selling the dream to everyone." He was also very concerned with Home Minister Krishna Prasad Sitaula's actions as negotiator for the government, stating that, "No party is happy with this guy (Sitaula) or what he's doing (with the negotiations)." Worried that Nobody is in Control? -------------- ¶3. (C) Deuba stated that he thought the Indians were "behind the negotiations" and somewhat in control of the situation. When the CDA told him that the it was unlikely, Deuba seemed taken aback and questioned, "but how can he (Koirala) agree to all these things without the support of India, the Army, or the U.S.?" He lamented that Koirala could have achieved much more in the negotiations but instead was giving in on all demands. Deuba also speculated that the agreement between the government and the Maoists to dissolve Parliament was likely agreed upon in Delhi in a secret agreement at the time of the 12-point agreement between the parties and Maoists (Reftel). (Note: NC-D and CPN-UML politicos have repeatedly worried that the Maoists and Nepali Congress (NC) have some kind of secret understanding. NC leaders have publicly denied that persistent rumor. End Note.) Comment -------------- ¶4. (C) Given the apparent lack of consultations between the negotiators and their political party alliance, it is clear that Deuba -- and perhaps other -- would be more comfortable if there were indeed a "Made in New Delhi" plan for the agreements between the GON and the Maoists -- with the reassurance that India could act as a brake to stop any wrong-headed moves. The lack of control by anyone other than PM Koirala and Prachanda makes Deuba very uncomfortable. Deuba, a veteran politician, is clearly out of the loop and gave the strong impression that he feels embittered and defeated by PM Koirala. SCHWARTZ