NEPAL PROVISIONALLY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000872 SENSITIVE SIPDIS PM/PPA - JENNIFER L. HANLEY E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: MARR MASS IT NP SUBJECT: NEPAL PROVISIONALLY ACCEPTS INVITATION TO PARTICIPATE IN COESPU REF: A. STATE 77703 ¶B. KATHMANDU 500 Police Eager To Attend COESPU If No Expense to GON -------------- -------------- ¶1. (SBU) The Government of Nepal (GON) has accepted an invitation to participate in training at the Center of Excellence for Stability Police Units (COESPU) in Italy as soon as September 2008, provided that the United States or Italy covers travel and medical expenses. Sabina Shrestha, the Honorary Italian Consul, separately has extended the same invitation to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Post's police contacts would like further guidance on the recommended composition of Nepal's participants -- how many personnel from each the civil police and Armed Police Force for the mid-level and high-level courses. Comment -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Despite Nepalese police interest in COESPU training, post is hesitant to guarantee that the GON -- which is currently in political transition -- is willing and able to make a long-term commitment to the development of stability police capabilities as per Ref A expectations. Given the difficulties -- including coordinating visas without an Italian consulate in KATHMANDU and poor feedback from COESPU about Nepalese police performance at the training -- that post experienced with Nepal's participation in COESPU pre-deployment training for the UN-African Union Mission in Darfur, which the GON initially had declined (Ref B),post's Senior Law Enforcement Adviser judges that conducting this type of training using existing facilities in Nepal would be a more efficient use of limited funds and resources. BERRY