US embassy cable - 04KATHMANDU681

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 KATHMANDU 000681 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 1.5 B & D 
TAGS: PREL, PTER, NP, U.S-Nepali Relations 
SUBJECT: CODEL DREIER MEETS WITH NEPAL'S PRIME MINISTER 
THAPA 
 
Classified By: AMBASSADOR MICHAEL E. MALINOWSKI FOR REASONS 1.5 b & d 
 
1.  (C)  Summary:  In an April 9 meeting with CODEL Dreier, 
Prime Minister Surya Bahadur Thapa reviewed the Government of 
Nepal's (GON) three-pronged strategy to return to a more 
stable political and economic path: public security, 
increased assistance to grassroots areas and democratic 
government.  He said the GON was consulting with party 
leaders by telephone and would work with them to arrange 
elections and the transition to a democratic government.  The 
door was open to the parties and the Maoists to return to 
talks at any time.  Thapa told the Ambassador that the new 11 
p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew and limits on public assembly in 
Kathmandu were imposed to avoid confrontation during 
demonstrations against the government.  GON has learned that 
Maoists have infiltrated the demonstrations and intend to 
cause trouble, he explained.  Thapa thanked the U.S. for its 
years of development assistance and recent military support. 
Both have been important for GON and Royal Nepal Army (RNA) 
morale.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C)  The Chairman of the House Rules Committee David 
Dreier (R-Ca) accompanied by Representative Karen McCarthy 
(D-Mo) and Representative Grace Napolitano (D-Ca) began the 
meeting by noting the extraordinary challenges that the 
Government of Nepal (GON) faces so that its people can live a 
better life in a peaceful, stable and democratic country. 
Prime Minister Thapa thanked the delegation for its visit, 
adding that Nepal is pleased to have frequent U.S. visitors 
at all levels, which now include Congress.  The Chairman said 
he was concerned with recent developments in Nepal and asked 
what steps the GON was taking to re-establish a democratic 
government and end the Maoist threat. 
 
3. (C)  PM Thapa replied that GON has a three-pronged 
strategy: (1) assure public security; (2) increase the flow 
of development assistance to the grassroots; and (3) a return 
to a democratic government.  In this latter, the GON wants 
the constitutional process to move forward with political 
party participation.  The GON has set a timeframe for 
multi-party elections and hopes that the parties will take 
part, as King Gyanendra stated in Pokhara earlier in the 
week.  After elections, the GON will consult with the parties 
to set the modalities for the new government.  Talks are 
already taking place with party leaders telephonically, he 
said. The politicians want to talk to the King, who has 
already held two rounds with them. Thapa said he believed 
that the next talks will take place soon. 
 
4. (C) Representatives McCarthy and Napolitano focused on the 
Maoist problem.  Rep. McCarthy inquired about GON strategies 
to work with the political groups to address the Maoist 
threat.  Thapa reiterated that the government seeks to raise 
public spirit by increasing the standard of living and has 
sent development teams to villages toward this end.  The GON 
remains ready to hold talks again with the Maoists even 
though the insurgents previously walked out of talks 
unilaterally twice.  The door for negotiations remains open. 
The Maoists claim that they want a "republic," but are not 
sure what that means.  Talks fell apart the last time (August 
2003) over the government's plan for social reforms, he 
observed.  The GON intends to uphold the constitutional 
monarchy and a multi-party democracy. Rep. Napolitano 
suggested that economic and infrastructure development could 
put people to work and improve public livelihood.  Nepal's 
natural resources, such as hydropower, could be developed. 
Thapa replied that the GON was definitely concerned and 
making efforts to build tourism and infrastructure to improve 
the nation's economy. 
 
5. (C) Ambassador Malinowski asked the PM to explain the 
government's rationale for imposing restrictions on public 
gatherings (11 p.m. to 4 a.m. curfew and prohibition on 
public assembly of more than five persons) in downtown 
Kathmandu, Lalitpur and Kirtipur, announced the night before 
(April 8).  Thapa said that the measures were taken to avoid 
casualties during the daily party demonstrations.  The GON 
believes, he explained, that the demonstrators are 
infiltrated by Maoists who will try to provoke violence. 
Asked how long these measures would be in place, Thapa said 
that the government is determined that these restrictions 
should not last more than two or three days, "as has been the 
case in the past."  Thapa acknowledged that the parties might 
believe that the GON "acted in haste" in imposing the bans 
and predicted that the measures would not interfere with the 
next protest (April 9).  He painted a scenario wherein the 
authorities detain protesters to avoid confrontations, then 
release them soon afterward. 
 
6. (C) The Ambassador told the PM that Chairman Dreier would 
like to speak with His Majesty.  Thapa confirmed that the 
King was returning to Kathmandu that afternoon (April 9) and 
offered to help arrange a conversation. 
7. (C)  The PM closed by reiterating Nepal's gratitude for 
all of the help that the United States has given the Nepali 
people over the years, including economic and social 
development assistance and malaria eradication.  Chairman 
Dreier said he had spoken with Secretary of State Powell 
before the trip, who recalled the beauty of Nepal and the 
warmth of its people.  The U.S. desires to make a difference 
through assistance.  At the same time, the American people 
also face serious challenges at the moment.  That does not 
diminish their desire to help the people of Nepal and to see 
an end to human rights violations and to curfews and a path 
to self-determination.  The U.S. wants to work in any way 
possible against the Maoist terrorists, the Chaiman affirmed. 
 The Prime Minister thanked the U.S. for the concrete and 
moral support it has given Nepal, which has been very 
effective and been a great boost for both Royal Nepal Army 
and GON morale.  Noting the GON's recent reaffimation of 
twenty-five human rights principles, Thapa repeated that the 
country is very serious about meeting its international 
obligations in this area. 
 
8. (U) CODEL Dreier has cleared this cable. 
 
MALINOWSKI 
 
 
 
 
 
 
MALINOWSKI