Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KATHMANDU1006
2009-11-04 12:21:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL: MAOISTS BACK DOWN ON AIRPORT THREAT
VZCZCXRO8540 PP RUEHCI DE RUEHKT #1006 3081221 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 041221Z NOV 09 FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 0988 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 7185 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 7522 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2861 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 5563 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 6670 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 3319 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0043 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4827 RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2449 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3715 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RHMFISS/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001006
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOISTS BACK DOWN ON AIRPORT THREAT
REF: KATHMANDU 0999
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 (
b/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 001006
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOISTS BACK DOWN ON AIRPORT THREAT
REF: KATHMANDU 0999
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 (
b/d).
1. (SBU) Citing international pressure, the Maoists called
off plans to blockade the international airport on November
10. In a statement several hours after a November 3 meeting
with the diplomatic community (reftel),Maoist leader Pushpa
Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, said, "In view of the
inconvenience it would create for tourists and per the
request by diplomats, we have decided to withdraw the airport
blockade." Prachanda reconfirmed that the Maoists planned to
blockade Kathmandu Valley on November 10.
2. (SBU) Late in the evening of November 3, top party
leaders from the major parties met at Communist Party of
Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (UML) party leader K.P. Oli's
residence to negotiate a resolution that would end the
protests. Prime Minister M.K. Nepal, Maoist leaders
Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai, and Nepali Congress leaders
Ram Chandra Paudel and Sher Bahadur Deuba were among the
attendees. The group failed to negotiate a solution but
agreed to "continue talks until we reach consensus." No
specific future talks were announced, and the negotiations
did not change the Maoist protest schedule.
3. (C) Comment: The Maoist decision to invite foreign
diplomats to a meeting to discuss the ongoing protest program
and the leadership's subsequent cancellation of the airport
blockade shows that: (1) the Maoists seek the approval of the
international community; and (2) international pressure can
yield results. The Maoists have told Charge informally that
they understand the need to move forward on the discharge of
minors from the Maoist cantonments. Perhaps coordinated and
sustained international encouragement and pressure can
persuade them to demonstrate increased flexibility on
discharge issues. End Comment.
MOON
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: MAOISTS BACK DOWN ON AIRPORT THREAT
REF: KATHMANDU 0999
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., Jeffrey A. Moon. Reasons 1.4 (
b/d).
1. (SBU) Citing international pressure, the Maoists called
off plans to blockade the international airport on November
10. In a statement several hours after a November 3 meeting
with the diplomatic community (reftel),Maoist leader Pushpa
Kamal Dahal, aka Prachanda, said, "In view of the
inconvenience it would create for tourists and per the
request by diplomats, we have decided to withdraw the airport
blockade." Prachanda reconfirmed that the Maoists planned to
blockade Kathmandu Valley on November 10.
2. (SBU) Late in the evening of November 3, top party
leaders from the major parties met at Communist Party of
Nepal-United Marxist Leninist (UML) party leader K.P. Oli's
residence to negotiate a resolution that would end the
protests. Prime Minister M.K. Nepal, Maoist leaders
Prachanda and Baburam Bhattarai, and Nepali Congress leaders
Ram Chandra Paudel and Sher Bahadur Deuba were among the
attendees. The group failed to negotiate a solution but
agreed to "continue talks until we reach consensus." No
specific future talks were announced, and the negotiations
did not change the Maoist protest schedule.
3. (C) Comment: The Maoist decision to invite foreign
diplomats to a meeting to discuss the ongoing protest program
and the leadership's subsequent cancellation of the airport
blockade shows that: (1) the Maoists seek the approval of the
international community; and (2) international pressure can
yield results. The Maoists have told Charge informally that
they understand the need to move forward on the discharge of
minors from the Maoist cantonments. Perhaps coordinated and
sustained international encouragement and pressure can
persuade them to demonstrate increased flexibility on
discharge issues. End Comment.
MOON