US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU475

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000475 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SA 
LONDON FOR POL - GURNEY 
NSC FOR MILLARD 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/16/2014 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PTER, NP, U.S-Nepali Relations 
SUBJECT: NEPAL:  SA DAS PATTERSON'S MEETING WITH KING 
GYANENDRA 
 
REF: A. KATHMANDU 0046 
     B. KATHMANDU 0279 
 
Classified By: AMB. MICHAEL E. MALINOWSKI.  REASON:  1.5 (B,D). 
 
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SUMMARY 
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1.  (C) In a March 16 meeting with Torkel Patterson, Deputy 
Assistant Secretary for South Asian Affairs, and the 
Ambassador, King Gyanendra affirmed that there is "no 
question" that he is committed to democracy and identified 
handing over power to an elected government as his first 
priority.  His role as constitutional monarch is 
"constructive"--to create "favorable conditions" to allow 
democracy to flourish.  He said that he is promoting the 
goals of peace, stability and respect for human rights in all 
of his public and private communications and has warned the 
security forces that human rights abuses make them no better 
than the Maoists.  End summary. 
 
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KING'S VISION FOR NEPAL: 
"CONSTRUCTIVE" MONARCHY, ELECTIONS, DEMOCRACY 
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2.  (C) On March 16 Torkel Patterson, Deputy Assistant 
Secretary for South Asian Affairs, accompanied by the 
 
SIPDIS 
Ambassador, called on King Gyanendra.  DAS Patterson opened 
the meeting by explaining his interest in learning the King's 
vision for Nepal.  DAS Patterson noted that Nepal's 
geographic location--situated between the two largest 
consumer markets in the world--offer it significant potential 
for economic development.  Acknowledging Nepal's obvious 
political problems, including the insurgency, he said that 
the U.S. understands the King's stated commitment to restore 
democracy to the nation and is ready to help in that effort. 
Citing recent discussions with female political leaders, DAS 
Patterson commented that their cooperative spirit may have a 
role to play in resolving the political impasse, adding that 
the women were eager to share their suggestions with the 
King.  The U.S. is committed to helping the Government of 
Nepal (GON) address the insurgency, he continued.  While 
underscoring U.S. concern at continued reports of human 
rights violations, DAS Patterson commended recent progress in 
prosecuting certain high-profile cases. 
 
3.  (C)  The King responded that there is "no question" that 
he is committed to parliamentary democracy and constitutional 
monarchy.  Handing over power to an elected government is his 
first priority, he averred; the hallmark of any democracy is 
recognizing the people's mandate as expressed in elections. 
The two interim governments he has appointed have not 
succeeded so far in fulfilling his instructions to provide 
good governance that is "pro-people," he charged; elections 
are long overdue.  However, as King, he cannot determine when 
elections should be held; that is up to the Election 
Commission, the GON, and the security forces.  He can only 
say that they must be held, he concluded. 
 
4.  (C)  A well-functioning democracy takes time to develop, 
he noted; Nepal has had only 13 years of practice. 
Ineffective and corrupt politicians will eventually be 
"weeded out" by the people's mandate, he said, but "I may not 
see it in my lifetime."  In the meantime, it is up to the 
people to decide what kind of monarch they want:  an icon, a 
father figure, or a judge, he continued.  A current "cliche" 
circulating around Kathmandu criticizes him as an "active" 
monarch, he noted.  He sees himself instead as a 
"constructive" monarch whose appropriate role is to 
create"favorable conditions" to allow democratic processes to 
evolve and flourish. 
 
5.  (C)  It is not up to him as King to judge the 
politicians, he commented; the people will judge them.  The 
political leaders must get away from "this childish 
mud-throwing."  He wants to talk to them about the "broader 
issues" confronting the nation, rather than be dragged into 
their petty power squabbles.  The democratic politicians must 
learn to practice democracy, he complained, noting that none 
of them has responded to his most recent appeal for consensus 
on such issues as good governance and national sovereignty 
(Ref A).  Nor have the interim governments he appointed been 
successful in winning over broad-based political support, he 
acknowledged.  Many people are sitting on the fence to see 
which way the wind blows, he added; "we must bring them on 
board." 
 
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INSURGENCY 
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6.  (C) In all of his public and private conversations, the 
King said he emphasizes three goals:  peace, stability, and 
respect for human rights.  Noting that his recent visits to 
the countryside had given him the chance to observe the 
challenging field conditions in which the security forces 
must operate, the King said the police, Army, and Armed 
Police Force are generally doing a good job.  Commending the 
"wonderful relations" between the U.S. and the Royal Nepal 
Army (RNA), he expressed appreciation for U.S. security 
assistance and training.  More help is needed, he added, to 
build the capacity of what had been primarily a ceremonial 
army up until late 2001.  Despite GON efforts, the last 
negotiations were unsuccessful because the insurgents were 
not sincere, he charged.  His succession of visits  to the 
so-called Maoist heartland (Ref B) have disproved the 
insurgents' propagandistic claims to control large parts of 
Nepal's territory, he asserted.  In general, he continued, 
the GON needs to "counter the ideology of the little red 
book" of the Maoists in the countryside.  The people he met 
during those visits, whose lives have been disrupted by the 
insurgency, just want to go home, he reported. 
 
7.  (C)  The GON has made mistakes with respect to human 
rights, he admitted.  He said he tells the security forces 
that if they behave like Maoists, "what is the difference" 
between them and the Maoists?  The government must be held to 
a higher standard than the terrorists, he asserted.  That 
said, human rights concepts are new to Nepal, he cautioned, 
which is hampered by a "cumbersome" legal process. The 
security forces must be educated to the idea that they are 
accountable for violations, he concluded. 
 
8.  (C)  Given the 1500 km open border Nepal shares with 
India, the GON must take into account its neighbor's 
influence on a variety of issues, the King acknowledged. 
Nonetheless, many Nepalis distrust Indian motives, he noted. 
While he said he does not believe the Indians' central 
government is giving Nepali Maoists tacit support, he 
"wonders" about some individual Indian states.  In general, 
he said he wished India would be "more forthright" in its 
support for the GON's struggle against the Maoists. 
 
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COMMENT 
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9.  (C) While we agree with the King that elections are the 
hallmark of democracy, we also note that political 
participation is the hallmark of free and fair elections. 
Our past and present discussions with political leaders to 
date indicate a universal unwillingness to take part, both 
because of security concerns and a general mistrust of the 
King's motives.  It is not enough for the Prime Minister to 
urge the parties' cooperation; he has been doing so to no 
avail for the past nine months.  We commend the King's 
recognition that the people should decide what kind of 
monarch they want; the same recognition should be extended to 
the people's representatives, whom, their personal foibles 
notwithstanding, the people have chosen to elect time and 
again.  If the King truly is committed to having elections 
take place, he himself must try to reach an accommodation 
with the political leaders that will foster their cooperation 
and participation in his plans. 
 
10.  (U)  DAS Patterson has cleared this message. 
 
 
 
MALINOWSKI