Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU2346
2006-08-30 11:39:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL TO SEND PKO FORCE TO LEBANON
how-toVZCZCXYZ0011 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKT #2346 2421139 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 301139Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2945 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 4707 RUEHLB/AMEMBASSY BEIRUT PRIORITY 0057 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 4944 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 0071 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2935 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 4342 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0147 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 0109 RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV PRIORITY 0482 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 1239 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 1916 RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002346
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNIFIL IS LE NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL TO SEND PKO FORCE TO LEBANON
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002346
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNIFIL IS LE NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL TO SEND PKO FORCE TO LEBANON
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) The cabinet of the Government of Nepal (GON) decided
on August 29 to send a batallion of soldiers to Lebanon to
join the UN peacekeeping force. Brigadier General Chand,
Director of Public Relations for the Nepal Army, told the
Defense Attache that there could be up to 860 soldiers sent
to the UN Mission. Chand said that the unit would be an ad
hoc unit, selected from across the Army. Selection had
already begun, and Chand expected it to take around two
weeks, after which the soldiers would be sent to the Birendra
Peace Operations and Training Center (BPOTC) at Panchkhal.
Based on normal training cycles, DAO estimates that the
soldiers could be deployed in around three months.
2. (C) Dinesh Bhattarai, Joint Secretary in the UN Section of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Emboff that the GON may
need airlift assistance to get the troops to Lebanon. He
asked if that was something the U.S. would be willing to
provide.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Nepal moved quickly to answer the call for UN
peacekeepers in Lebanon, a role the Nepal Army has played
many times in the past. The GON seems proud to be providing
these soldiers, and it understands that this deployment may
boost the GON's standing in the international community.
That standing is particularly important as the country seeks
UN assistance in its fragile peace process and transition to
democracy and pursues a rotating seat on the UN Security
Council.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/30/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV UNIFIL IS LE NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL TO SEND PKO FORCE TO LEBANON
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
1. (C) The cabinet of the Government of Nepal (GON) decided
on August 29 to send a batallion of soldiers to Lebanon to
join the UN peacekeeping force. Brigadier General Chand,
Director of Public Relations for the Nepal Army, told the
Defense Attache that there could be up to 860 soldiers sent
to the UN Mission. Chand said that the unit would be an ad
hoc unit, selected from across the Army. Selection had
already begun, and Chand expected it to take around two
weeks, after which the soldiers would be sent to the Birendra
Peace Operations and Training Center (BPOTC) at Panchkhal.
Based on normal training cycles, DAO estimates that the
soldiers could be deployed in around three months.
2. (C) Dinesh Bhattarai, Joint Secretary in the UN Section of
the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told Emboff that the GON may
need airlift assistance to get the troops to Lebanon. He
asked if that was something the U.S. would be willing to
provide.
Comment
--------------
3. (C) Nepal moved quickly to answer the call for UN
peacekeepers in Lebanon, a role the Nepal Army has played
many times in the past. The GON seems proud to be providing
these soldiers, and it understands that this deployment may
boost the GON's standing in the international community.
That standing is particularly important as the country seeks
UN assistance in its fragile peace process and transition to
democracy and pursues a rotating seat on the UN Security
Council.
MORIARTY