NEPAL: FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON PEACE PROCESS,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000570

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/29/2019
TAGS: PREL PREF PHUM UN CH NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTS ON PEACE PROCESS,
OTHER ISSUES

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

Summary
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1. (C) During the Ambassador's farewell call on June 29,
Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala confirmed that the cabinet
had decided to extend the UN Mission in Nepal's mandate in
Nepal. The cabinet also approved the extension of the Office
of the High Commissioner for Human Rights for an additional
nine months. The Ambassador welcomed both decisions. The
Foreign Minister acknowledged that the Government of Nepal
(GON) needs to make rapid progress in reconstituting key
peace process committees, such as the Special Committee on
Maoist Combatants. Koirala indicated that the GON would
likely appoint a new Ambassador to the United States.

UNMIN and OHCHR Extended
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2. (C) Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala confirmed to the
Ambassador during the Ambassador's farewell call on June 29
that the Government of Nepal (GON) has decided to extend the
mandate of the United Nations Mission in Nepal (UNMIN).
(Note: Reportedly, this happened at a cabinet meeting on June
24.) The Foreign Minister said she had met with UNMIN
Representative Karin Landgren a day earlier to discuss the
mandate extension and the peace process, but did not provide
any details. Koirala added that the GON had also extended
the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights (OHCHR)
for an additional nine months -- on top of the three-month
extension already granted. The Foreign Minister agreed with
the Ambassador that OHCHR, like UNMIN, still had a useful
role to play. She admitted that the decision on OHCHR had
been a difficult one. She added that, in a year's time, the
cabinet would be willing to consider another extension for
OHCHR if needed.

Peace Process Committees
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3. (C) The Ambassador welcomed both decisions, and stressed
the importance of reconstituting key peace process
committees, such as the Special Committee on Supervision,
Rehabilitation and Integration of Maoist Combatants. The
U.S. Permanent Representative in New York and other UN
Security Council members would be looking for action,
including on the minors and other disqualified. Koirala
acknowledged the need for rapid progress.

New Nepali Ambassador
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4. (C) The Foreign Minister stated that no final decision had
been made about Nepal's Ambassador to the United States, but
she indicated that it was likely that the GON would be
looking for a new nominee. The cabinet wanted someone who
was in touch with the current situation in Nepal and could
help bring Nepal and the U.S. closer together.


UNGA
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5. (C) Koirala said that she planned to travel to the U.S. in
September to attend the UN General Assembly. Koirala
reiterated the business community's interest in passage of
Sen. Feinstein's TRADE Act which would grant trade
preferences to Nepali textiles. Post will report on the
Foreign Minister and the Ambassador's discussion of Tibetan
issues septel.

Comment
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6. (C) Foreign Minister Koirala stated that she hoped to
work out the details of UNMIN mandate extension in a day or

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two. On OHCHR, Koirala said the GON was prepared to consider
a further extension in a year's time, but she was firm that a
longer extension was not in the cards now. According to post
sources at OHCHR, OHCHR has yet to receive a formal
notification of the OHCHR extension. It has also yet to
decide it if will accept an additional nine months, even if
the terms of the mandate are unchanged.
POWELL