INDIA URGES RAPID ACTION IN THE UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 003034 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/13/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER MARR IN NP SUBJECT: INDIA URGES RAPID ACTION IN THE UN REF: A. KATHMANDU 3023 ¶B. KATHMANDU 3024 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) In a November 13 meeting with the Ambassador, Indian Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee emphasized the need for rapid action in the United Nations regarding Maoist arms management and peace and election monitoring in Nepal. Ambassador Moriarty stressed the need for a UN Security Council resolution so that Ian Martin's UN team would have a clearer and broader mandate, and Mukherjee agreed. Mukherjee said he had talked to Shiv Shankar Menon, India's Foreign Secretary, and that Menon had agreed that a Security Council SIPDIS Resolution would be acceptable to the Government of India, as long as it could be passed quickly. Mukherjee stated that both the Seven-Party Alliance (SPA) and the Maoists had agreed that ex-Gurkhas (both Indian and British) would be good candidates for a monitoring/observer team to Nepal. Rapid Action Necessary -------------- ¶2. (C) On November 13, Indian Ambassador Shiv Shankar Mukherjee told the Ambassador that rapid UN action was necessary in order to make the peace process in Nepal successful. The Ambassador stressed to Mukherjee that this could best be accomplished through a UN Security Council Resolution, which would give the UN team in Nepal a broader and clearer mandate. Mukherjee agreed, and said that Indian Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon had told him that the Government of India could support whatever necessary, action by the UN General Assembly or the Security Council, as long as it was thorough and quick. Mukherjee stated that if the experts thought a UNSC resolution was necessary, so be it. Limited UN Mandate -------------- ¶3. (C) Mukherjee noted that the UN Secretary General's representative in Nepal, Ian Martin, had suggested that a UNSC Resolution on Nepal could set up a "limited mandate" for arms management. Mukherjee had followed up with Vijay Nambiar, UN Under Secretary General and Special Adviser to the Secretary General, and Nambiar had said there was some confusion about a "limited mandate" in UN Headquarters. Nambiar felt that, if the UN were to seek a mandate, the UN should go for a broad mandate, not something limited. The Ambassador told Mukherjee that part of the confusion around a UNSC resolution might be a desire that the mandate be clearly defined and limited in time. The Ambassador said that he assumed any resolution would be tied to the election process; at a date certain after the elections were over, UN monitors would leave. Two Resolutions Necessary -------------- ¶4. (C) The Ambassador told Mukherjee that two separate UNSC resolutions would likely be needed, one on arms management and one on the UN role in peace and election monitoring. Both Mukherjee and the Ambassador agreed that they wanted to see an arms management resolution adopted this week and the Ambassador indicated that it might be possible but was not certain. Mukherjee reported that Ian Martin had told him earlier that it might take six weeks after a UNSC resolution was adopted to get arms monitors on the ground. Mukherjee said that the Government of Nepal (GON) wanted them on the ground much sooner. ¶5. (C) The Ambassador told the Indian Ambassador that another UN assessment team might need to come to Nepal to lay the groundwork for the second resolution. Mukherjee agreed and stated that he had been telling New Delhi that large numbers of foreign observers/monitors were going to be needed in Nepal so that people would not be afraid to report abuses, and New Delhi seemed to be supportive. He also said that a large group of international observers would be crucial in the lead-up to the elections. Use Gurkhas As Monitors/Observers -------------- ¶6. (C) Mukherjee told the Ambassador that he had spoken to the leaders of the SPA and the Maoists and both sides were fine with using former Indian or British Gurkha soldiers in either an arms management or peace monitoring role. The Ambassador pointed out that this would have the advantage of getting people on the ground quickly with little training needed who would be fluent in English, Nepali, and Hindi. They would make excellent force multipliers for the other UN monitors. Pushing For Speed -------------- ¶7. (C) Mukherjee indicated he was planning to meet with Ian Martin later on November 13 to push him on the need to obtain a UNSC resolution on arms management quickly with a resolution on peace and elections to follow. The Ambassador told Mukherjee that he would do the same on the USG side. Comment -------------- ¶8. (C) According to the Indian Ambassador, the Government of India's position on the UN's role in Nepal has changed. The Government of India now seems to support a Security Council resolution on arms management and monitoring and may also support follow-up resolutions. India also shares our sense of urgency on getting a UNSC resolution in place as soon as possible. MORIARTY