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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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