Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09KATHMANDU164
2009-03-02 09:01:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:  

AMBASSADOR'S FEBRUARY 27 MEETING WITH PRIME

Tags:  PGOV PREL MARR KOCI EAID PHUM NP 
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O 020901Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 
SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9835
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C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000164 


DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KOCI EAID PHUM NP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FEBRUARY 27 MEETING WITH PRIME
MINISTER DAHAL

Classified By: AMBASSADOR NANCY J. POWELL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B/D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 000164


DEPT FOR SCA/FO, SCA/INS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2019
TAGS: PGOV PREL MARR KOCI EAID PHUM NP
SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR'S FEBRUARY 27 MEETING WITH PRIME
MINISTER DAHAL

Classified By: AMBASSADOR NANCY J. POWELL FOR REASONS 1.4 (B/D)


1. (C) Summary: Ambassador met with PM Dahal on February
27 to provide observations following Department consultations
and the recent A/S Boucher visit to Nepal. PM Dahal appeared
to understand that any USG terrorism de-listing action relied
largely on future Maoist actions, including clear steps, both
in word and deed, to reject terrorism and rein in violence
and end impunity, particularly where the Maoist Young
Communist League (YCL) was concerned. The PM solicited
Ambassador,s views on integration/ rehabilitation of PLA
cadres, and also on the ongoing Army recruitment saga.
Ambassador commended the PM on the formation/operation of the
Special Committee, noted that integration needed to be a
consensual, Nepali-led decision, urged haste in reaching an
agreement, and called for greater communication between the
MoD and the Nepal Army. Ambassador said that USG assistance
levels were likely to continue at approximate current levels,
but not grow significantly in the short term. She
underscored growing Department and Congressional interest in
the adoption issue which required the PM,s attention.
Ambassador also presented copies of the 2008 Human Rights
Report on Nepal to the PM, noting continuing concerns with
YCL and Terai violence and press freedom issues, among
others. End Summary.

Meeting at Singha Durbar
--------------


2. (U) Ambassador and DCM met with Prime Minister Pushpa
Kamal Dahal on February 27 at his Singha Durbar office in
Kathmandu. The Prime Minister,s Foreign Affairs Advisor
Hira Bahadur Thapa and Padhumna Shah, Joint Secretary for
Europe and the Americas at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
were also in attendance.

Maoist Terrorism Designations
--------------


3. (C) Clearly of interest to the PM, Ambassador,s comments
on the terrorism designations were closely followed. She
pointed out that the onus for moving ahead on any delisting
effort mainly rested with the Maoists at this point. Many in

the USG policy apparatus were either against or agnostic to
removing the Maoists from the USG terrorism lists. Continued
YCL excesses, Maoist human rights abuses, and lack of clear
signals from the PM and Maoist leadership drew into question
their commitment and undermined chances for de-listing.
Attacks on the media by Maoist cadres, the PM,s own
statements vaguely suggesting the need for a secondary
"revolution," and a failure to reject and rein in extremist
voices from his own party did not provide enough evidence to
support moving ahead. A clear rejection of terrorism in word
and deed, and addressing YCL violence and extortion were
essential. Ambassador noted Maoist cooperation in providing
fuller information regarding the killings to two Embassy
security personnel in 2001 and 2002, but pointed out that we
fully expected the Maoists to accept responsibility for the
killings to the families of the deceased, and to disclose the
information to the Nepal Human Rights Commission. Additional
information regarding the 2004 attack on the American Center
was also still needed. The PM responded by noting that he
had made anti-terrorism remarks in the past: following the
Mumbai attacks, and subsequently, when his own personal
assistant was shot and wounded in Kathmandu by an unknown
assailant. The Ambassador suggested a broader statement
renouncing violence would be helpful, as did A/S Boucher on
February 11.

Integration/Rehabilitation and Recruitment
--------------


4. (C) The PM asked for the Ambassador,s take on military
integration/rehabilitation, and the ongoing recruitment saga.
The Ambassador responded that progress on the cantonments
needed to be both quick and correct. She suggested that
immediate movement on the discharge of the identified 4,000
non-combatants, working with UNDP and UNICEF on planning
would be helpful; the PM agreed and said the process had
already begun. Ambassador noted that integration and
rehabilitation modalities needed to have a Nepali solution,
but urged haste in making the difficult decisions on
integration and other options facing former Maoist army
fighters. She emphasized the USG view that limited
integration into the Army, based on individual choice, would
best suit the process, but that wholesale integration by
larger units posed significant problems. On the recruitment
issue, Ambassador noted the USG view that military
subordination to elected civilian authority was a key value,
but that the elected government also was compelled to conduct
itself in a responsible and informed manner. The same
message had been given to the Chief of Army Staff Katawal.
The PM, in response, noted that there was now "no problem
with the Army," and commented on his own attendance at Army
Day celebrations earlier in the week as evidence of growing
communication.

Foreign Assistance
--------------


5. (C) Ambassador noted requests from the PM and Finance
Minister Bhattarai, raised during meetings with visiting
Assistant Secretary for South and Central Asian Affairs
Richard Boucher February 11-12, asking for sharply increased
levels of development assistance. Noting that while the USG
was pleased to see its assistance and programs continue,
there was little chance that any significant increases in USG
aid would be forthcoming in the short term based on her
consultations in Washington. A greater focus, and
well-thought-out National Development Framework, to be
presented by the GON in May, would be very helpful as the USG
reviewed its funding priorities.

Adoptions
--------------


6. (C) The Ambassador raised the issue of third country
adoptions, particularly those families considered
"transition" cases, which had been suspended between old and
new regulations when new guidelines were promulgated last
year. She noted her recent briefings in Washington with
Senator Feinstein, and staffers representing more than a
dozen Members of Congress as indications of how seriously
American legislators viewed the current impasse, and urged a
speedy and humanitarian consideration of these cases. PM
Dahal acknowledged receiving the letter from Senator
Feinstein, as well as a separate letter signed by more than a
dozen Members of Congress, and that he was working with the
Ministry of Women, Children, and Social Services to reach a
decision. He gave no hint of how the GON would proceed.
(Note: PM Dahal rejected a request for a brief joint French
and American meeting to discuss adoptions prior to the
February 27 meeting; Ambassador noted that the situation
required the PM,s attention, and indicated that we would be
renewing the request to meet on the issue. End note).

Human Rights Report
--------------


7. (C) The Prime Minister received two copies of the 2008
Human Rights Report for Nepal from the Ambassador, briefly
noting media coverage of the report earlier that day. The
Ambassador highlighted continuing USG concerns, particularly
on persisting abuses by the Maoist Young Communist League
(YCL),violence in Nepal,s troubled Terai region where
impunity was all too common, and press freedom issues, among
others. The PM offered no substantive response. (Note:
Subsequently, on March 1, the PM did make a strong statement
on the GON,s commitment to press freedom, and acknowledged
past problems. End note).

Peace Corps
--------------


8. (C) Ambassador briefly mentioned that, conditions
permitting, she would like to begin preliminary discussions
regarding a return of the Peace Corps to Nepal. A
prerequisite for such a development, she noted, would be a
pledge by the PM that PCVs could work unimpeded in the
exposed village settings where they were normally posted, and
would not be harassed or troubled by YCL cadres. The PM
offered no substantive response, except to say that he would
look into the issue and reply at a later time.

Comment
--------------


9. (C) PM Dahal,s responses to key concerns were
unimpressive, but it is clear that he received the messages
on the terrorism designations, on the USG,s human rights
concerns, and regarding American views on the YCL and
impunity issues. Whether he takes action to address them is
another matter. His responses to most issues/concerns were
short, vague, or lacking in specifics. His most animated
moment came during a power cut which left the meeting room in
the dark, remarking that this "had never happened before" at
his offices in Singha Durbar. For the remainder of the
Nepali nation, dealing with 14-hour-per-day load shedding,
that statement should be outrageous - if it is true.


POWELL