NEPAL: NO URGENCY TO RESOLVE ARMY COMMITTEE OR

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 001224

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2018
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: NO URGENCY TO RESOLVE ARMY COMMITTEE OR
UNMIN EXTENSION

Classified By: Ambassador Nancy J. Powell. Reasons 1.4 (b/d).

Summary
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1. (C) Ambassador Powell, British Ambassador Hall and French
Charge Romicanu's joint expressions of the international
community's concerns about the stalemate regarding the Army
Integration Special Committee and lack of discussion about a
possible extension and revision of UNMIN's mandate were not
shared by top party leaders of Nepali Congress and the
Communist Party of Nepal - United Marxist Leninist. All
three party leaders stated they were waiting for the Prime
Minister to take the initiative in setting up the Special
Committee, but they did not foresee major problems in
agreeing to the terms of reference or composition. The party
leaders also favored an extension of UNMIN, though were vague
on what mandate it should have. A lack of urgency and lack
of communication on these issues, both within and across
parties, were evident.

Need for PM to Take Initiative on Army Committee
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2. (C) In meetings on November 18 with Nepali Congress (NC)
leader Sher Bahadur Deuba, and on November 19 with NC
President Girija Prasad Koirala and Communist Party of Nepal
- United Marxist Leninist (UML) General Secretary Jalanath
Khanal, Ambassador Powell, British Ambassador Hall and French
Charge Romicanu's joint expressions of the international
community's concerns about the stalemate regarding the Army
Integration Special Committee (AISC) were not shared by the
party leaders. They reported that a return to the Terms of
Reference adopted to in June had been agreed to by a
Maoist-UML-NC joint working level committee. Composition of
the committee was less clear. Khanal indicated that it would
likely have seven members - two each from NC, UML, Maoists,
and one from Madhesi Forum, but none could state definitively
who their party would appoint. All three nodded politely in
response to the envoy's concerns that keeping the combatants
in the cantonments in limbo was an untenable situation, and
that it would be better to discuss issues related to the
integration and rehabilitation within the committee than in
the media. All three stated they were waiting for Prime
Minister Dahal to take the initiative to call a meeting of
the four parties to form the committee.

UNMIN Extension Favored, but Mandate Unclear
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3. (C) Given that so little progress has been made in dealing
with the former combatants and their arms and that the
unverified combatants are still residing in the cantonments,
all party leaders agreed that an extension of UNMIN's mandate
would be desirable. There was some awareness that the AISC
would take over some of the role of UNMIN, but no clarity or
specificity on how these responsibilities would be
implemented or on what a new mandate for UNMIN might entail.
Even after the Ambassador explained that some of the two
months remaining in UNMIN's mandate would be lost to
Christmas and New Year's holidays, the party leaders did not
indicate they would take a formal decision quickly. They
thought the Maoist-UML-Madhesi Forum coalition government
would be joined by NC in eventually requesting an extension,
but first discussion and homework were needed.

Comment
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4. (C) None of the party leaders expressed any sense of
urgency in forming the AISC or deciding about a new mandate
and extension for UNMIN. The negative reaction to PM Dahal's
previous attempt to set-up the AISC may make him more
hesitant to push forward now without additional
consultations, but he is also currently preoccupied with the
Maoists' central committee meeting. Former Prime Minister

KATHMANDU 00001224 002 OF 002


Koirala voiced support for UNMIN's extension, but made no
acknowledgment that he viewed either the extension or formal
movement on the committee, as a priority. The lack of
progress by Maoists in returning seized property is only one
of the issues undermining trust and confidence between the
Maoists and the other parties. Another is NC's unhelpful and
obstructionist stance toward making any progress on committee
functioning and broad statements to the press suggesting no
integration needs to take place at all - clearly in
contradiction of agreements concluded when they were running
the GON. The three envoys plan to meet PM Dahal to encourage
him to consult with senior party leaders to achieve a
consensus on both issues.
POWELL