NEPAL PEACE PROCESS STALLED

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 003063 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER MARR UN NP SUBJECT: NEPAL PEACE PROCESS STALLED REF: KATHMANDU 3014 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d) Signing of Peace Accord Postponed -------------- ¶1. (C) According to a joint statement the Government of Nepal (GON) and Maoists issued on November 16, the signing of the comprehensive peace accord, which was supposed to take place that day, was postponed until November 21. According to political leaders on November 16 and Dr. Shehkar Koirala, the Prime Minister's nephew, who works closely with Chief GON negotiator Sitaula in the talks, the Maoists did not sign for several reasons. They wanted to change language in the preamble to tout the accomplishments of the 10-year "People's War." They also complained, Dr. Koirala told Emboff November 17, that the human rights provisions in the accord were too long. ¶2. (C) The biggest reasons for the delay, however, according to Dr. Koirala, were the inability to reach consensus on language banning the carrying of arms and reestablishing police posts. Nepali Congress Central Committee member Arjun Narsingh told the Ambassador November 16 that Maoist Supremo Prachanda had promised Prime Minister Koirala, prior to signing the November 8 peace agreement (reftel),to include language in the peace accord to the effect that that any person carrying weapons would be arrested. Prachanda had now, Narsingh noted, tried to renege on that promise. Dr. Koirala stated that the Maoist insistence that its militia be incorporated into the police despite clear opposition from the Seven-Party Alliance over several months was another complication. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) We have made clear to the GON that holding the line on carrying weapons and reestablishing police posts is absolutely essential if the peace process is not to become a capitulation to the Maoists. Dr. Koirala told Emboff that the Prime Minister had told Prachanda in plain language in meetings over the past two days that he would not accept these changes. We have heard such brave talk before but hope that this time the Prime Minister does hold firm. According to Dr. Koirala, Prachanda is scheduled to return to Kathmandu from a private conference in New Delhi on November 20, but may return one day earlier. Dr. Koirala indicated that a comprehensive peace deal could be signed as early as the evening of the 20th. He did not think, however, the signing of the Interim Constitution, which the Maoists this week have argued needs to be done at the same time as the inking of the comprehensive peace accord, would be ready to be signed by November 21 as agreed in the November 8 peace agreement. MORIARTY