NEPAL: STILL ON THE BRINK OF A REPUBLIC

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000602 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/28/2018 TAGS: PGOV KDEM NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: STILL ON THE BRINK OF A REPUBLIC REF: KATHMANDU 593 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Randy W. Berry. Reasons 1.4 (b/ d). First Constituent Assembly Meeting Delayed -------------- ¶1. (C) As of close of business on May 28, the first sitting of the Constituent Assembly (CA),which is supposed to declare NEPAL a republic per the Interim Constitution, had not yet taken place. All 25 parliamentary parties reportedly reached agreement on May 27 on the creation of a presidency as the new head of state to replace the monarchy, but not on the powers of the presidency. Negotiations among the seven parties in the Interim Government, including the Maoists, over those powers as well as the 26 nominated members of the Assembly are ongoing at the Prime Minister's official residence . The cabinet is on standby at the residence to approve any compromise. The Assembly's session was originally scheduled to begin at 11 a.m. local time at the Birendra International Conference Center. The start was rescheduled until 3 p.m., but then delayed again. During the day, Kathmandu's streets were largely free of cars (the Nepali Government has declared May 28, 29, and 30 holidays to mark NEPAL becoming a republic). In spite of the Assembly's failure to declare NEPAL a republic, processions and gatherings across town have remained peaceful. More CA Members Sworn In -------------- ¶2. (U) Two Maoist members who did not attend the May 27 swearing-in ceremony -- Mohan Baidya (aka Kiran) and Forest and Soil Conservation Minister Matrika Yadav -- took their oaths in the morning giving the CA a current total of 568 members. Apparently, accused murderer Baban Singh, one of the Assembly's two independents, was sworn in on May 27 after all. Comment -------------- ¶3. (C) The parties are under the gun. If they do not declare Nepal a republic by midnight on May 28, they will be in apparent violation of the Interim Constitution. Acting General Secretary of the Constituent Assembly Manohar Bhattarai told Emboff May 28 that the Assembly had to act "today." More importantly, the parties and the Nepali Government run the risk that currently peaceful pro-republic gatherings will turn violent. According to an Embassy source at the Prime Minister's residence, Maoist leaders, who are facing internal dissension over the creation of a presidency, have proposed to keep the presidential powers undefined for now in order to move ahead with the declaration of the republic. Their Nepali Congress and Communist Party of NEPAL - United Marxist Leninist counterparts are opposed. Post expects the parties will reach a compromise and begin the session the evening of May 28. POWELL