Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU1806
2006-07-11 10:11:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
MAOIST DEPUTY: NO SURRENDER OF ARMS BEFORE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001806
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOIST DEPUTY: NO SURRENDER OF ARMS BEFORE
ELECTIONS
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1757
B. KATHMANDU 1794
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
MAOISTS CLAIM THEY WILL KEEP WEAPONS UNTIL ELECTIONS
--------------------------------------------- --------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001806
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOIST DEPUTY: NO SURRENDER OF ARMS BEFORE
ELECTIONS
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1757
B. KATHMANDU 1794
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
MAOISTS CLAIM THEY WILL KEEP WEAPONS UNTIL ELECTIONS
-------------- --------------
1. (U) The Maoists are publicly emphasizing their opposition
to decommissioning their weapons before constituent assembly
elections, despite increasing public pressure to do so.
During a July 10 media interview, Maoist number two in
command Baburam Bhattarai stated, "let everybody be clear --
we'll never surrender our arms" before constituent assembly
elections, which are expected within a year. Since the end
of the pro-democracy uprisings, Maoist leaders have continued
to stress this point. Supremo Prachanda declared June 5 that
the Maoists were not ready to lay down their arms ahead of
constituent assembly elections because they did not trust the
Nepal Army. On June 21, Maoist spokesperson Krisha Bahadur
Mahara told the press "we are not going to disarm, but to
create a conducive environment for constituent assembly
elections we are willing to neutralize our weapons and our
army under UN monitoring." In a July 3 interview, Prachanda
stressed that the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) would
not decommission its arms before an interim government was
formed (ref A).
COMMENT
--------------
2. (C) After nearly a week of waffling, Foreign Minister Oli
finally reported to Parliament the gist of the GON's letter
requesting assistance from the UN to decommission - as
opposed to just "manage" - Maoist arms (ref B). Political
leaders, opinion shapers and the public at large have
increasingly demanded that Maoists give up arms before
elections or joining an interim government. The Maoists have
given no indication of bending on this point. U.S. interest
in a stable Nepal continues to be best served by actively
supporting the GON and political parties to resist Maoist
pressure to give on the critical issue of laying down their
arms.
DEAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER NP
SUBJECT: MAOIST DEPUTY: NO SURRENDER OF ARMS BEFORE
ELECTIONS
REF: A. KATHMANDU 1757
B. KATHMANDU 1794
Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Nicholas Dean. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
MAOISTS CLAIM THEY WILL KEEP WEAPONS UNTIL ELECTIONS
-------------- --------------
1. (U) The Maoists are publicly emphasizing their opposition
to decommissioning their weapons before constituent assembly
elections, despite increasing public pressure to do so.
During a July 10 media interview, Maoist number two in
command Baburam Bhattarai stated, "let everybody be clear --
we'll never surrender our arms" before constituent assembly
elections, which are expected within a year. Since the end
of the pro-democracy uprisings, Maoist leaders have continued
to stress this point. Supremo Prachanda declared June 5 that
the Maoists were not ready to lay down their arms ahead of
constituent assembly elections because they did not trust the
Nepal Army. On June 21, Maoist spokesperson Krisha Bahadur
Mahara told the press "we are not going to disarm, but to
create a conducive environment for constituent assembly
elections we are willing to neutralize our weapons and our
army under UN monitoring." In a July 3 interview, Prachanda
stressed that the Maoist People's Liberation Army (PLA) would
not decommission its arms before an interim government was
formed (ref A).
COMMENT
--------------
2. (C) After nearly a week of waffling, Foreign Minister Oli
finally reported to Parliament the gist of the GON's letter
requesting assistance from the UN to decommission - as
opposed to just "manage" - Maoist arms (ref B). Political
leaders, opinion shapers and the public at large have
increasingly demanded that Maoists give up arms before
elections or joining an interim government. The Maoists have
given no indication of bending on this point. U.S. interest
in a stable Nepal continues to be best served by actively
supporting the GON and political parties to resist Maoist
pressure to give on the critical issue of laying down their
arms.
DEAN