NEPALI CONGRESS LEADER ADAMANT THAT SEVEN-PARTY

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000829 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR SCA/INS E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/28/2016 TAGS: PGOV PTER NP SUBJECT: NEPALI CONGRESS LEADER ADAMANT THAT SEVEN-PARTY ALLIANCE NOT DOING JOINT PROGRAM WITH MAOISTS REF: BEIJING 5355 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, Reasons, 1.4 (b/d). Parties Not Joining With the Maoists -------------- ¶1. (C) In a March 28 meeting, ailing Nepali Congress President G.P Koirala stressed to the Ambassador that the seven-party alliance was "not joining hands with the Maoists because the Maoists have guns." He explained that the political parties did not want to be associated with the Maoist-called April 6-9 nationwide general strike. The Parties recognized that the general strike would negatively affect people; the Parties instead planned to hold peaceful demonstrations and sit-down strikes. He acknowledged that the Parties faced a problem because their demonstration planned for April 8 coincided with the Maoist program, but it was a "misunderstanding" if people thought the two groups had organized a joint program. King Should Not Announce Nationwide Elections -------------- ¶2. (C) Koirala indicated he remained open to the King reaching out. He emphasized that his biggest worry was the possibility of the King announcing in mid-April nationwide parliamentary elections. The NC leader said that the King should first reconcile with the political parties. Koirala noted that if the King first announced elections, the situation would worsen and reconciliation would become even more difficult. Interest in China's Role -------------- ¶3. (C) Koirala was interested in the Ambassador's recent-stopover in Beijing (reftel). The NC leader stated he had encouraged China, as a big neighbor of Nepal, to take "some responsibility to settle" Nepal's issues during his recent meeting with visiting PRC State Councilor Tang. Tang had agreed that national reconciliation was the best way to bring the Maoists into mainstream politics. The Ambassador informed Koirala that he had found strong agreement in Beijing that Nepal was in crisis and about the need for dialogue between the constitutional forces. Beijing was interested in promoting a dialogue, which reflected the high level of concern there. Bio Note -------------- ¶4. (C) Koirala admitted that he was "not keeping well." On March 27 he had returned from a medical check-up in Biratnagar, during which his doctor had advised him to take a "complete rest." During our meeting, his breathing was very labored and he had a bad cough. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) Koirala's strong insistence that the Parties had not joined with the Maoists in the upcoming April 6-9 general strike is positive. The Parties now have to figure out a way they can rescue their plan for demonstrations, scheduled for April 8, without causing any retaliatory action from the Maoists. MORIARTY