US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI1615

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 001615 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PHUM, MOPS, EAID, IN, NP, India-Nepal 
SUBJECT: GOI OPPOSES NON-LETHAL MILITARY AID AND MEDICAL 
TRAINING FOR RNA 
 
REF: A. KATHMANDU 470 
 
     B. DELHI 1482 
 
Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake, Jr. for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) The GOI feels strongly that the USG should delay the 
first phase of the Joint Combined Exchange Training (JCET) 
for the Royal Nepalese Army, because this is not the time to 
send mixed messages to the King.  In a March 2 meeting with 
Polcouns and Poloff scheduled to discuss Bhutan, MEA Joint 
Secretary (Nepal) Ranjit Rae raised the issued of US military 
 
SIPDIS 
assistance to the Royal Nepalese Army (RNA), following on a 
March 1 discussion between our Ambassadors in Kathmandu (Ref 
A).  Drawing on Refs A and B, Polcouns explained that our 
possible JCET would provide medical training with a 
humanitarian intent.  We also noted the GOI's decision not to 
return RNA students receiving military training in India if 
that training is ongoing.  Rae argued that it was imperative 
that there be no daylight between the GOI and USG position 
and that medical training provided by US troops inside Nepal 
would be seen by His Majesty's Government of Nepal (HMGN) as 
a normalization of military relations. 
 
2.  (C) Rae emphasized that the RNA was starting to feel the 
squeeze and now was not the time to soften our position, 
citing as evidence a phone call between the RNA chief and an 
Indian counterpart in which the Nepalese appealed for India 
to re-open its pipeline.  He added that the GOI is "getting 
feelers that the King is having a re-think and could release 
political prisoners and restore democratic freedoms as early 
as next week."  With this in mind, Rae asserted, the USG 
should hold the line on lethal and non-lethal equipment and 
training in Nepal.  He conceded that the GOI will allow 
military training of Nepalese officers in India to continue, 
but no training is being conducted across the border and no 
military equipment of any sort is being provided by India to 
the RNA.  Rae noted that the issue of non-lethal US military 
equipment had not been raised with Foreign Secretary Saran 
when Ambassador Moriarty saw him on February 26 (Ref B). 
 
3.  (C) Rae commented that Nepal was becoming a major issue 
in domestic politics.  The Foreign Minister confirmed to the 
DCM at a social function that Nepal would be the first 
question he faces in this Parliamentary session.  He added 
that he was encouraged that Indian political parties were 
maintaining a united front on the issue and not giving the 
King reason to be optimistic.  He concluded that the message 
to the King remained that he needs to make some move towards 
democracy in order to receive assistance from the GOI. 
MULFORD