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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶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 -------------- ¶6. (C) Foreign Minister Koirala stated that she hoped to work out the details of UNMIN mandate extension in a day or KATHMANDU 00000570 002 OF 002 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