NEPAL: COMMITTED TO SUPPORT MINUSTAH

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000166 SENSITIVE SIPDIS C O R R E C T E D COPY CAPTION E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM HA SOCI MCAP MARR SNAR ASEC EFIN, KJUS, KPKO, XL, NP SUBJECT: NEPAL: COMMITTED TO SUPPORT MINUSTAH REF: SECSTATE 012558 ¶1. (SBU) Per demarche request (reftel),Embassy contacted Armed Police Force (APF) IG Sanet Basnet and Home Ministry Secretary Dr. Govind Kusum regarding Nepal's current offer to provide one Foreign Police Unit (FPU) for 12 months. Both Basnet and Kusum confirmed that Nepal is still willing to provide one FPU for 12 months, and can extend the deployment as long as MINUSTAH requests and funds its presence. ASSISTANCE REQUESTED -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Nepal's Armed Police Force unite of 150 personnel are not equipped for the deployment, as current equipment supplies do not meet UN standards according to the Home Ministry. They requested a minimum of 10 lightly-armored tired vehicles or HMMMVs. They also requested personal equipment, uniforms, body armor, ammunition, and sub-machine guns for 150 personnel. If the process moves forward, Nepal will likely request additional equipment, including tents, water tankers, fuel tankers, etc. The government also requested air support for the deliver of personnel and equipment to Haiti, although Kusum said the UN could be willing to fund airlift for personnel. (Note: There are already Nepal Police in Haiti under MINUSTAH CivPol, and any equipment could be delivered directly to the police personnel already on the ground.) INL has been briefed on the request for assistance by Post, and is studying possible funding to support this FPU. Point of contact at INL is Vivita Rozenbergs and Meagan McBride. TIMING -------------- ¶3. (SBU) Nepal has committed to provide the additional personnel as soon as the United States secures the equipment and transportation assistance it has requested. The APF FPU will likely schedule deployment upon confirmation of a delivery date of equipment. Charge has scheduled a meeting with Home Minister Bhim Rawal and will discuss further details on possible deployment dates. CAMP