DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 003149 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM PREL CWC OPCW CBW BWC NP SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED ON CHEMICAL AND BIOLOGICAL WEAPONS CONVENTIONS REF: SECSTATE 193643 ¶1. (SBU) On December 4, Emboff delivered reftel talking points to Shanker Bairagi, Under Secretary for the Europe and Americas Division at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, stressing the need for the Government of Nepal (GON) to promulgate and enact implementing legislation for the Chemical Weapons Convention. Bairagi stated that the GON had recently created a "core group" to recommend draft language, and planned to send the group members to The Hague for legislation-specific training within the next month. ¶2. (SBU) Emboff provided the U.S. point of contact and informed Bairagi that the GON team could contact the Department of State for further technical assistance if necessary. The GON had also conducted two workshops for customs officials regarding interdiction of potential chemical weapons materials. Bairagi was hopeful that the Parliament would take up implementing legislation soon, although he expressed some concern that this might not be possible until after elections to the Constituent Assembly next year. Bairagi promised to pass the point of contact information to the "core group" and said he would pass any further information to Emboff as it became available. ¶2. (SBU) Bairagi did not comment on Nepal joining the Biological Weapons Convention. MORIARTY