INDIA URGES RAPID ACTION IN THE UN

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 003034

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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
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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

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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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
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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