NEPAL PROMISES TROOPS FOR DARFUR MISSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001329 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 07/11/2017 TAGS: PREL KPKO UNSC MASS KDEM SU NP SUBJECT: NEPAL PROMISES TROOPS FOR DARFUR MISSION REF: STATE 90022 Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty. Reasons 1.4 (b/d) Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) The Acting Defense Secretary told Emboff and the Defense Attache July 3 that the Defense Ministry supported contributing troops to the planned UN/African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur. The Prime Minister had recently approved increasing the ceiling on the number of Nepali peacekeepers from 3,500 to 5,000. A day earlier, Brigadier General Rana, the Military Assistant to the Chief of Army Staff, had told post that Nepal was prepared to deploy 800 soldiers to the mission in Sudan, and that Nepal had already conveyed this offer to UN Headquarters. A senior official of the Armed Police Force (APF) indicated July 2 that the APF was interested in contributing troops, but could not do so until after Nepal's Constituent Assembly election in November. Nepal's Defense Ministry Supports Darfur Mission -------------- --- ¶2. (C) On July 3, Acting Defense Secretary Shreedhar Prasad Pokhrel confirmed to Emboff and the Defense Attache (DATT) that Nepal would contribute troops to the upcoming UN/African Union Hybrid Operation in Darfur, Sudan (reftel). Pokhrel was not familiar with the details regarding the number of troops, but he explained that his Ministry would support whatever decision the Nepal Army (NA) made. He noted that his Ministry had neither the staffing nor the expertise to determine how many troops were available to deploy to Darfur. That was for the NA to determine. The Acting Defense Secretary did point out that he had recently recommended to SIPDIS Prime Minister G.P. Koirala (who is also the country's Defense Minister) that Nepal should increase the ceiling on its peacekeepers from 3,500 to 5,000; Koirala had approved this proposal. Nepal Army Promises UN 800 Soldiers -------------- ¶3. (C) Brigadier General Victor Rana, the Military Assistant to the Chief of Army Staff, told Emboff and the DATT July 2 that the Nepal Army was prepared to commit 800 troops to the Darfur mission. Rana had informed post earlier on July 2 that Nepal's military representative in New York had conveyed to UN Headquarters Nepal's interest in participating in the mission and the UN had already approved Nepal's participation in principle. Nepal and the UN were now in the process of planning the composition of the troops and other logistical aspects of the mission. The same day, Brigadier General Yam Thapa, the NA's Director of Peacekeeping Operations, stated that Nepal's Permanent Representative to the UN, Madhu Raman Acharya, had notified UN Secretary General Ban Ki Moon in person about the increase in Nepal's peacekeeping ceiling. This was in addition to a formal letter of notification from Nepal to the UN. Nepal Armed Police Unable To Contribute To Mission Now -------------- -------------- ¶4. (C) On July 2, Additional Inspector General Sanat Basnet, who is in charge of personnel for the Armed Police Force (APF),responded to the Regional Security Officer that the APF would very much like to participate in the Darfur mission. However, the APF did not have sufficient troops to handle the current security situation in Nepal and the impending Constituent Assembly election in November, as well as send a unit to Sudan. He added that, after the election, the APF would be interested in participating in Darfur. Comment -------------- ¶5. (C) The Nepal Army, which under the terms of the various KATHMANDU 00001329 002 OF 002 peace agreements has been largely confined to its barracks since last spring, is eager and willing to assist the United Nations in Darfur. The Defense Ministry sees its role as supporting the NA's deployment. If the Constituent Assembly election occurs in November and the situation in the Terai in particular can be stabilized (both question marks at this point),we have no doubt that the Armed Police Force will be prepared to assist as well. MORIARTY