SCA ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE'S SEPTEMBER 24,

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 STATE 100692 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/24/2019 TAGS: NP PGOV PREF PREL SUBJECT: SCA ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE'S SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 MEETING WITH NEPALI PRIME MINISTER NEPAL AND FOREIGN MINISTER KOIRALA Classified By: SCA A/S ROBLAKE (SBU) Participants: U.S. Assistant Secretary Robert O. Blake, Jr. Don Camp, UNGA Senior Area Advisor Peter McSharry, Bureau Notetaker Nepal Prime Minister M.K. Nepal Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala Foreign Secretary Gyan Chandra Acharya Perm Rep to the UN Madhan Raman Acharya Nepali Mission Notetaker ¶4. (C) SUMMARY. In SCA A/S Blake's September 24 meeting with Prime Minister M.K. Nepal and Foreign Minister Sujata Koirala on the margins of the UN General Assembly, Prime Minister Nepal stated that the integration of Maoist combatants would be completed within a maximum of six months, and prior to the completion of the constitution drafting process. Nepal noted that only qualified Maoist combatants could be integrated into the Nepal Army, and raised the possibility that a border security force could be created to accept some of the Maoist fighters. Both Nepal and Foreign Minister Koirala stressed that the international community needed to pressure the Maoists to cooperate with the peace process. END SUMMARY. -------------- ARMY INTEGRATION -------------- ¶5. (C) Prime Minister Nepal stated that it was important to solve the army integration issue soon, as this would allow the Nepal Army (NA) to leave the barracks. He noted that the Special Committee overseeing integration and rehabilitation had met three times so far and was working on a "code of conduct" for Maoist combatants in the cantonments. Nepal stated that Maoist combatants faced several options. Those who wished to do "political work" could leave the cantonments and join the Unified Communist Party Nepal-Maoist (UCPN-M). Other former combatants could either integrate with the NA or be rehabilitated. Nepal stated that the Government of Nepal (GON) would provide money for further education, vocational training, or to resettle combatants in their home villages. He further commented that the "victims" of the conflict needed rehabilitation, as well. The GON has provided care to the Maoists, Nepal said, but victims of the conflict also require assistance, or else trouble would result. ¶6. (C) Nepal emphasized that the integration process must be completed prior to the completion of the constitution drafting process, and set a six month period for completing integration. He further stated that the GON could not integrate all the Maoist combatants into the NA, as Nepal could not have a huge army. He noted that the GON needed to decide on the eventual size of the NA, offering his personal view that a force of 50,000 troops is the optimal strength for the army. Nepal said that the GON must also identify who exactly should be integrated into the NA, noting the need to include Dalits and minorities, so that the NA reflected society. He stated that the Technical Committee was currently surveying the opinions of the NA, the political parties and others, regarding the size and composition of the army. He noted that Maoist leader Prachanda has stated that 4,000- 5,000 Maoist combatants should be integrated into the NA. However, Nepal emphasized that Maoists must be qualified to be integrated into the NA, and that the number of integrated could be anywhere between 1,000 to 5,000 combatants. Nepal further raised the possibility of creating a border security force that could absorb some of the Maoist combatants, thereby keeping the NA intact and "uncontaminated by politics." -------------- STATE 00100692 002 OF 002 SUBJECT: SCA ASSISTANT SECRETARY BLAKE'S SEPTEMBER 24, 2009 MEETING WITH NEPALI PRIME MINISTER NEPAL AND FOREIGN MINISTER KOIRA CONSTITUTION DRAFTING -------------- ¶7. (C) Nepal pointed to the recent election of the chairman of the Constitutional Committee as good news, and noted that the Maoists participated in this election. He remarked that a subcommittee has also been formed, and that the chairman of this committee was selected from the opposition. Stating that there were still nine months left in which to complete the drafting of the constitution, Nepal said that two key issues needed to be addressed: federalism and the type of government system. (Note: there are approximately eight months left before the constitution drafting deadline.) He pointed to inclusion as another key issue. He stated that the GON has discussed the creation of a high-level mechanism, which would include leaders of the three main parties, adding that Prachanda supported this initiative. According to Nepal, this body would deal with critical issues in the constitution drafting process, as well as with the overall peace process. -------------- ASSESSMENT OF MAOISTS -------------- ¶8. (C) Asked by Blake for his assessment of the Maoist role, Nepal stated that there are "ifs and buts" regarding the Maoists. If all parties put pressure on the Maoists, Nepal stated, then the Maoists will cooperate. He emphasized that there was a need to give a clear message, and that the international community needed to keep pressure on the Maoists. Foreign Minister Koirala seconded this view. Nepal further noted that the Maoists have a strong left wing that still wishes to capture state power. Nepal stated that the Maoists wished to control the judiciary, thus showing that they had not changed their mindset. He commented that meetings with the Maoists went smoothly, but that outside, the Maoists made trouble. We must watch the Maoists, he warned. In response to Blake,s expression of concern over the activities of the Maoist Young Communist League (YCL), Nepal stated that the YCL is a destabilizing factor and that the GON should file cases against, and punish, YCL members who violate the law. -------------- NEPAL ARMY -------------- ¶9. (C) Nepal commented that the Nepal Army needed lethal arms for peacekeeping missions, as well as more training. Blake responded that the USG would like to do more with Nepal on defense cooperation, but that the Nepal Army needs to have movement on human rights issues. Blake stated that we particularly welcomed the new Chief of Army Staff's positive statements regarding respect for human rights. Blake also expressed USG appreciation for Nepal's contributions to peacekeeping missions. -------------- ADOPTIONS AND TIBETANS -------------- ¶10. (C) Blake welcomed the efforts of the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare in re-starting adoptions. He also emphasized our interest in helping register Tibetan refugees in Nepal. CLINTON