GOVERNMENT CLARIFIES ARMS MANAGEMENT NEEDED BEFORE

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001630 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/21/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER NP SUBJECT: GOVERNMENT CLARIFIES ARMS MANAGEMENT NEEDED BEFORE MAOISTS ENTER GOVERNMENT REF: A. KATHMANDU 1597 ¶B. KATHMANDU 1563 ¶C. KATHMANDU 1617 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). HOME MINISTER: NO INTERIM GOVERNMENT UNTIL MAOISTS LAY DOWN ARMS -------------- -------------- ¶1. (SBU) Leader of the GON talk team and Home Minister, Krishna Prasad Sitaula stated that an interim government with the Maoists would be formed only after the issue of Maoist arms was resolved. While addressing a meeting of the Nepali Congress (NC) in Pokhara (western Nepal) on June 20, Sitaula claimed that the Maoists had agreed to this position. The Home Minister also denounced the June 19 Maoist installation of a Maoist District Development Committee (DDC) President in Parbat District (ref A). He clarified that, while the United Nations (UN) would be invited to do arms management, no outside body would be needed to monitor the GON-Maoist peace talks. Responding to criticism that the eight-point agreement was rushed and done without consulting the political parties, Sitaula admitted there was room for improvement in the eight-point agreement. He urged all people to remain alert to any conspiracies that might derail the peace process, saying "we must not squander this opportunity." PANDEY RESIGNS FROM CODE OF CONDUCT MONITORING TEAM -------------- -------------- ¶2. (C) On June 20, Dr. Devendra Raj Pandey, who was named as head of the 31-member Ceasefire and Code of Conduct Monitoring Team on June 15 (ref B),announced he would not accept that position. He will continue to work as the head of the five-person peace talks observers group, to which he was also appointed on June 15. Pandey explained to Emboff that he had not really resigned as he had never formally accepted the position to head either group, or been asked to be on either committee before being named. Pandey noted that he had told the Maoist and Government of Nepal (GON) talks teams on June 16 that he did not want the monitoring team position and thought that was a sufficient rejection of the offer. When questions still remained, however, he decided to make a public statement on June 20. He mentioned that he was present as part of the peace talk observer committee when the eight-point agreement was signed on June 16. Pandey said there were moments of hope, anxiety, and tension, but that he felt things were progressing. Pandey added however, that he was uncomfortable not knowing when peace talks would resume and suggested that a schedule needed to be sorted out. (Note: An Embassy contact told us the teams were meeting June 21 but had not included the observer team because the government intended to convey the parties' concerns and reaction to the June 16 eight-point agreement. End Note.) ...ADVISES NEGOTIATING TEAMS TO CONSULT MONITORING COMMITTEE -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) Dr. Pandey told us he had advised the talk teams from both sides that they should consult with potential members of the monitoring committee, which should include competent individuals. For example, he said the questions that needed to be addressed were: what needed to be monitored, who would the committee report to, and who in the group would take necessary actions? He stressed that all these questions needed to be sorted out and suggested the talk teams should meet with the monitoring committee to develop terms of reference. Pandey also noted that the interim constitution drafting committee had not started its work, as the committee was waiting to receive their letters of instruction from the GON and/or the peace talks teams. He commented that the GON was busy during the transition period, but was not addressing the most important issues. MAOISTS ABDUCT FORMER LOCAL GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL -------------- -- ¶4. (SBU) The media continue to report ongoing Maoist violence. In another violation of the Code of Conduct, the press reported that on June 20 Maoists abducted Balawanta Yadav, a former member of the Nawalparasi District (western Nepal) DDC. Maoists claimed they wanted to investigate Yadav for alleged embezzling of DDC funds. COMMENT -------------- ¶5. (C) Dr. Pandey's remarks about the lack of a consultative process and how unorganized the cease-fire monitoring committee is underscore the dangers of moving the peace process too quickly. Sitaula has been under fire from people within his own party and the seven-party alliance about the Maoist arms issue. Sitaula's statement that an interim government would not be formed until the Maoist weapons issue was resolved is a clear move by the GON to clarify the eight-point agreement. It seeks to assure the public that the GON will insist Maoists lay down their weapons before entering government, a position broadly supported by the public as the recent outcry against the agreement has shown. We will be doing everything we can in the coming days to stiffen the GON's spine on this issue. MORIARTY