Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06KATHMANDU2619
2006-09-27 10:26:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
CHINESE AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT THE MAOISTS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002619
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER CX NP
SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT THE MAOISTS
REF: KATHMANDU 2491
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
-------
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002619
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER CX NP
SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT THE MAOISTS
REF: KATHMANDU 2491
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador September 26, Chinese
Ambassador Sun denied that China supported the entry of the
Maoists with their arms into an interim Nepali government.
To the contrary, the PRC still had a Maoist no-contact policy
in place. Sun stated that China's key interest in Nepal was
stability. Sun agreed that the Government of Nepal had the
power to crack down on the Maoists. He expressed
discouragement, however, that the fractious governing
coalition would manage the peace process and the Maoists
successfully.
Chinese Ambassador Denies Reports of a Thaw
--------------
2. (C) The Ambassador met September 26 with his Chinese
counterpart Sun Heping to determine the veracity of claims by
journalists that local Chinese diplomats were speaking out in
favor of the entry of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
(CPN-M) into an interim government with their weapons.
Ambassador Sun categorically denied the allegations. That was
not China's position at all, he said. The PRC, he noted,
continued to have great concerns about the so-called
"Maoists." He reiterated his message from previous meetings
that neither Beijing nor his Embassy had approved the
contacts in Nepal in June 2006 by a retired Chinese Academy
of Sciences member with senior CPN-M leaders. The PRC, in
fact, continued to have a no-contact policy with the CPN-M.
He had been unpleasantly surprised the previous week at a
Nepal-China Society event to discover that the organizers had
invited several senior Maoist leaders to the event. He told
the Ambassador he left early. He acknowledged, however, that
members of his staff had met with low-level Maoists in an
attempt to get Chinese-funded construction projects moving.
Key Issue Is Stability
--------------
3. (C) Sun remarked that the PRC's key goal for Nepal was
stability. To that end, what was most important was the
unity of the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) government. The
Ambassador responded that we also constantly stressed that
same message in our meetings with SPA leaders. The Chinese
Ambassador admitted that he feared the parties would not
overcome their constant partisan bickering. Meanwhile, the
law and order situation had deteriorated as the CPN-M ramped
up its threats and extortion. Sun agreed with the Ambassador
that the GON had the power to crack down on the Maoists. It
was a matter of will.
Maoist Actions Worrying
--------------
4. (C) The Chinese Ambassador cited the example of the
nationwide strike the CPN-M declared on September 13 (reftel)
as one example of the Maoist threat to stability. It was, in
his view, partly a practice run for the Maoists. The CPN-M
did not appear ready at that time to try to take over, but he
did not disagree when the Ambassador expressed concern that
the Maoists might attempt to do so soon. A Maoist takeover,
the Ambassador stressed, would create a humanitarian tragedy
and destabilize the entire region. Sun added that the
Maoists enjoyed the support of a significant number of Nepali
workers to whom they had promised the moon.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) In his September 26 meeting, Ambassador Sun appeared
more concerned than in the past about the threat the Maoists
posed to the peace process and the Government of Nepal. He
even seemed to share to some degree our frustration that the
GON has thus far refused to employ its law enforcement
capacities to crack down on Maoist abuses. His government's
true intentions, however, remain unclear. According to an
Emboff who was present at the Nepal-China Society event,
Ambassador Sun did indeed leave early, apparently because of
the presence of the CPN-M invitees. On the other hand, Sun's
subordinates chose to remain and eagerly interacted with the
Maoist guests. With these apparent contradictions in mind,
we will continue our efforts to keep the Chinese on board
with a hard line on Maoist arms.
MORIARTY
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2016
TAGS: PGOV PTER CX NP
SUBJECT: CHINESE AMBASSADOR WORRIED ABOUT THE MAOISTS
REF: KATHMANDU 2491
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).
Summary
--------------
1. (C) In a meeting with the Ambassador September 26, Chinese
Ambassador Sun denied that China supported the entry of the
Maoists with their arms into an interim Nepali government.
To the contrary, the PRC still had a Maoist no-contact policy
in place. Sun stated that China's key interest in Nepal was
stability. Sun agreed that the Government of Nepal had the
power to crack down on the Maoists. He expressed
discouragement, however, that the fractious governing
coalition would manage the peace process and the Maoists
successfully.
Chinese Ambassador Denies Reports of a Thaw
--------------
2. (C) The Ambassador met September 26 with his Chinese
counterpart Sun Heping to determine the veracity of claims by
journalists that local Chinese diplomats were speaking out in
favor of the entry of the Communist Party of Nepal (Maoist)
(CPN-M) into an interim government with their weapons.
Ambassador Sun categorically denied the allegations. That was
not China's position at all, he said. The PRC, he noted,
continued to have great concerns about the so-called
"Maoists." He reiterated his message from previous meetings
that neither Beijing nor his Embassy had approved the
contacts in Nepal in June 2006 by a retired Chinese Academy
of Sciences member with senior CPN-M leaders. The PRC, in
fact, continued to have a no-contact policy with the CPN-M.
He had been unpleasantly surprised the previous week at a
Nepal-China Society event to discover that the organizers had
invited several senior Maoist leaders to the event. He told
the Ambassador he left early. He acknowledged, however, that
members of his staff had met with low-level Maoists in an
attempt to get Chinese-funded construction projects moving.
Key Issue Is Stability
--------------
3. (C) Sun remarked that the PRC's key goal for Nepal was
stability. To that end, what was most important was the
unity of the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) government. The
Ambassador responded that we also constantly stressed that
same message in our meetings with SPA leaders. The Chinese
Ambassador admitted that he feared the parties would not
overcome their constant partisan bickering. Meanwhile, the
law and order situation had deteriorated as the CPN-M ramped
up its threats and extortion. Sun agreed with the Ambassador
that the GON had the power to crack down on the Maoists. It
was a matter of will.
Maoist Actions Worrying
--------------
4. (C) The Chinese Ambassador cited the example of the
nationwide strike the CPN-M declared on September 13 (reftel)
as one example of the Maoist threat to stability. It was, in
his view, partly a practice run for the Maoists. The CPN-M
did not appear ready at that time to try to take over, but he
did not disagree when the Ambassador expressed concern that
the Maoists might attempt to do so soon. A Maoist takeover,
the Ambassador stressed, would create a humanitarian tragedy
and destabilize the entire region. Sun added that the
Maoists enjoyed the support of a significant number of Nepali
workers to whom they had promised the moon.
Comment
--------------
5. (C) In his September 26 meeting, Ambassador Sun appeared
more concerned than in the past about the threat the Maoists
posed to the peace process and the Government of Nepal. He
even seemed to share to some degree our frustration that the
GON has thus far refused to employ its law enforcement
capacities to crack down on Maoist abuses. His government's
true intentions, however, remain unclear. According to an
Emboff who was present at the Nepal-China Society event,
Ambassador Sun did indeed leave early, apparently because of
the presence of the CPN-M invitees. On the other hand, Sun's
subordinates chose to remain and eagerly interacted with the
Maoist guests. With these apparent contradictions in mind,
we will continue our efforts to keep the Chinese on board
with a hard line on Maoist arms.
MORIARTY