Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10KATHMANDU69
2010-01-25 11:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Kathmandu
Cable title:
NEPAL: G.P. KOIRALA TOUTS HIGH LEVEL MECHANISM
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000069
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: G.P. KOIRALA TOUTS HIGH LEVEL MECHANISM
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., John M. Ordway. Reasons 1.4 (b
/d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000069
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: G.P. KOIRALA TOUTS HIGH LEVEL MECHANISM
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., John M. Ordway. Reasons 1.4 (b
/d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: G.P. Koirala, Nepali Congress party
President, acknowledged his health was not good, but
committed to wrapping up the peace process and the drafting
of the constitution. He asserted the High Level Political
Mechanism is "the only way" to accomplish these goals.
According to Koirala, the integration and rehabilitation of
the Maoist combatants should be the government's top
priority. End summary.
HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL MECHANISM IS THE ANSWER
--------------
2. (C) In a January 20 meeting, G.P. Koirala told SCA PDAS
Patrick Moon that his health was not good, but he wanted to
stay involved "until the peace stabilizes and the
constitution is drafted." The recently-created High Level
Political Mechanism (HLPM) was the only way to move the
country forward. He said he "does not want any more
bloodshed," and this mechanism was his solution to avoiding
conflict. Koirala, who was accompanied by former Ambassador
to the United States and Ambassador-designate to the United
Kingdom Suresh Chandra Chalise, said that he, Pushpa Kamal
Dahal "Prachanda," and UML leader Jhalanath Khanal had agreed
to include Terai party leaders, other members of the Nepali
Congress, and others in the HLPM. He was confident the HLPM
would "increase the public's confidence in the political
process."
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISIT
--------------
3. (C) Koirala reported he had a positive meeting with
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, in which Koirala
pointed out that Nepal's peace and stability affects both
India and China. He asked the Foreign Minister to "give a
gift to the Nepali people, and publicly support the HLPM,"
but the Indian Foreign Minister did not publicly support the
HLPM.
MAOISTS "FIGHTING LIKE STUDENTS"
--------------
4. (C) PDAS Moon said the United States supports a peaceful,
stable and democratic Nepal, and urged the political leaders
to come together to reach an agreement. Koirala said he was
talking with all seven major parties but the Maoists were
difficult. He accused the Maoists of "fighting like
students," and said he was ashamed to have to talk with them.
Koirala was especially concerned about the Maoist's Young
Communist League (YCL). The party has lost control of the
YCL, and the Maoists must understand that this weakens their
party and Nepal's stability.
5. (C) Koirala said he told Prachanda and Maoist leader
Baburam Bhattarai recently that he wants a Constitution with
an independent judiciary and multiparty democracy, which they
both agreed to. "Dahal pushed for a presidential type of
government, but I convinced him to agree to a parliamentary
system." Koirala said the Maoist leaders agreed to Koirala's
requests in private, then took contrary positions in public.
Koirala thought that the Maoists were attacking the
democratic institutions of Nepal, and he was not certain
whether they would continue to do so in the future. He urged
the United States to pressure the Maoists to "really support
democracy."
INTEGRATION AND REHABILITATION
--------------
6. (C) Koirala told Prime Minister Nepal that the country's
first priority should be closing the Maoist cantonments.
"After they are resolved there will be no difficulties with
the Constitution." PDAS Moon acknowledged that integration
of Maoist combatants is a difficult problem. Koirala
countered that the process will not be an "integration" and
that Maoists combatants will only be allowed into the Nepal
Army on an "individual basis." He claimed there were only
3,000 - 5,000 Maoist combatants during the conflict, at most
KATHMANDU 00000069 002 OF 002
10,000. He asked rhetorically how it was possible,
therefore, that the Maoists have 19,602 verified combatants
in the cantonments. (Note: Nepali leaders charge that the
Maoist combatant numbers were inflated during the
UN-monitored verification process in 2007. Prachanda gave
further credence to this claim in a 2008 speech -- leaked to
the press in 2009 -- in which he claimed he had fooled the UN
monitors into accepting 19,000 when there were only ever
between 8,000 - 10,000 combatants. End note.)
7. (C) PDAS Moon raised the issue of human rights abuses
during the conflict by both sides, and said the United States
supports a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a
Disappearances Commission as a way to move past the issue.
For the United States to fully support the Nepal Army, there
has to be some accounting of the abuses. Koirala
acknowledged the point.
COMMENT
--------------
8. (C) The 84-year-old Koirala met PDAS Moon in a room just
outside his bedroom in his residence. He is visibly not
well, and acknowledged he is getting sicker, although his
mind still seemed sharp and clear. His control over his
party and the political circus is still surprisingly
effective however, and he clearly would like to use the HLPM
to conclude the peace process he began four years ago, and
thus secure his legacy as one of Nepal's great leaders.
ORDWAY
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/18/2019
TAGS: PGOV PHUM KDEM NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL: G.P. KOIRALA TOUTS HIGH LEVEL MECHANISM
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i., John M. Ordway. Reasons 1.4 (b
/d).
1. (C) SUMMARY: G.P. Koirala, Nepali Congress party
President, acknowledged his health was not good, but
committed to wrapping up the peace process and the drafting
of the constitution. He asserted the High Level Political
Mechanism is "the only way" to accomplish these goals.
According to Koirala, the integration and rehabilitation of
the Maoist combatants should be the government's top
priority. End summary.
HIGH LEVEL POLITICAL MECHANISM IS THE ANSWER
--------------
2. (C) In a January 20 meeting, G.P. Koirala told SCA PDAS
Patrick Moon that his health was not good, but he wanted to
stay involved "until the peace stabilizes and the
constitution is drafted." The recently-created High Level
Political Mechanism (HLPM) was the only way to move the
country forward. He said he "does not want any more
bloodshed," and this mechanism was his solution to avoiding
conflict. Koirala, who was accompanied by former Ambassador
to the United States and Ambassador-designate to the United
Kingdom Suresh Chandra Chalise, said that he, Pushpa Kamal
Dahal "Prachanda," and UML leader Jhalanath Khanal had agreed
to include Terai party leaders, other members of the Nepali
Congress, and others in the HLPM. He was confident the HLPM
would "increase the public's confidence in the political
process."
INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER VISIT
--------------
3. (C) Koirala reported he had a positive meeting with
Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna, in which Koirala
pointed out that Nepal's peace and stability affects both
India and China. He asked the Foreign Minister to "give a
gift to the Nepali people, and publicly support the HLPM,"
but the Indian Foreign Minister did not publicly support the
HLPM.
MAOISTS "FIGHTING LIKE STUDENTS"
--------------
4. (C) PDAS Moon said the United States supports a peaceful,
stable and democratic Nepal, and urged the political leaders
to come together to reach an agreement. Koirala said he was
talking with all seven major parties but the Maoists were
difficult. He accused the Maoists of "fighting like
students," and said he was ashamed to have to talk with them.
Koirala was especially concerned about the Maoist's Young
Communist League (YCL). The party has lost control of the
YCL, and the Maoists must understand that this weakens their
party and Nepal's stability.
5. (C) Koirala said he told Prachanda and Maoist leader
Baburam Bhattarai recently that he wants a Constitution with
an independent judiciary and multiparty democracy, which they
both agreed to. "Dahal pushed for a presidential type of
government, but I convinced him to agree to a parliamentary
system." Koirala said the Maoist leaders agreed to Koirala's
requests in private, then took contrary positions in public.
Koirala thought that the Maoists were attacking the
democratic institutions of Nepal, and he was not certain
whether they would continue to do so in the future. He urged
the United States to pressure the Maoists to "really support
democracy."
INTEGRATION AND REHABILITATION
--------------
6. (C) Koirala told Prime Minister Nepal that the country's
first priority should be closing the Maoist cantonments.
"After they are resolved there will be no difficulties with
the Constitution." PDAS Moon acknowledged that integration
of Maoist combatants is a difficult problem. Koirala
countered that the process will not be an "integration" and
that Maoists combatants will only be allowed into the Nepal
Army on an "individual basis." He claimed there were only
3,000 - 5,000 Maoist combatants during the conflict, at most
KATHMANDU 00000069 002 OF 002
10,000. He asked rhetorically how it was possible,
therefore, that the Maoists have 19,602 verified combatants
in the cantonments. (Note: Nepali leaders charge that the
Maoist combatant numbers were inflated during the
UN-monitored verification process in 2007. Prachanda gave
further credence to this claim in a 2008 speech -- leaked to
the press in 2009 -- in which he claimed he had fooled the UN
monitors into accepting 19,000 when there were only ever
between 8,000 - 10,000 combatants. End note.)
7. (C) PDAS Moon raised the issue of human rights abuses
during the conflict by both sides, and said the United States
supports a Truth and Reconciliation Commission and a
Disappearances Commission as a way to move past the issue.
For the United States to fully support the Nepal Army, there
has to be some accounting of the abuses. Koirala
acknowledged the point.
COMMENT
--------------
8. (C) The 84-year-old Koirala met PDAS Moon in a room just
outside his bedroom in his residence. He is visibly not
well, and acknowledged he is getting sicker, although his
mind still seemed sharp and clear. His control over his
party and the political circus is still surprisingly
effective however, and he clearly would like to use the HLPM
to conclude the peace process he began four years ago, and
thus secure his legacy as one of Nepal's great leaders.
ORDWAY