US embassy cable - 02KATHMANDU886

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000886 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SEPT FOR INR/R, R/MR, I/RW, I/REC; PA, SA/PD 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC, KMDR, NP, U.S-Nepali Relations 
SUBJECT: Media Reaction: Ambassador Clarifies U.S. Goals Prior To 
P.M. Deuba's May 7 Visit To Washington 
 
1.  "US Not Interested In Using Nepal As Military Base: 
Malinowsky" 
 
Article, Kathmandu Post, (5/4): "Addressing a meeting organized by 
the Confederation of Nepalese Industries, Ambassador Malinowski 
clarified: "We do not want any defense base in Nepal, nor do we 
want to use it as a springboard to jump against another country... 
The U.S. interest in Nepal is to help protect democracy." 
 
Previously a number of opinion pieces in a number of publications 
had speculated that the purpose of a military assessment team 
visit to Nepal in April was to set the stage for the introduction 
of U.S. troops into the country. 
 
2.   "Foreign Bogey Or Sincerity" 
 
Editorial, Kathmandu Post, (5/6): "... U.S. Ambassador to Nepal 
Michael E. Malinowski was forthright in dispelling these doubts 
and fear as he said that America had no interest in having a 
defense base or using the Himalayan Kingdom as a springboard 
against China." 
 
3.   "PM's Visit Symbolic On Many Fronts" 
 
OpEd, Rising Nepal (5/4).  Nishchal Nath Pandey writes: "... 
American assistance to the Nepalese government in order to fight 
the menace of the Maoist insurgency will be invaluable and it is 
further hoped that the visit will solidify the definitiveness that 
is coming about in Nepal-US ties.  ...At the same time, the visit 
is an indication that Nepal is not exclusively occupied with the 
counter-insurgency operations that are currently underway.  We are 
a mature democracy and issues of our children, cruxes that are 
important for the upliftment of our export industries like carpet 
and garment and vital industries such as the tourism industry are 
still very much in our minds. 
 
4.   "Depressing Exports" 
 
Editorial, Kathmandu Post (5/4).  "A peep into the past four 
months' data reveal a 52 percent decline in garment exports to the 
US, which alone absorbs around 85 percent of the total export... 
The issue had been raised by The King and the Prime Minister when 
Secretary Powell visited here four months ago...  Prime Minister 
 
SIPDIS 
Sher Bahadur Deuba during his visit to the US early next week will 
no doubt seek the US and British assistance in the anti-terrorist 
and developmental aspects.  An improved security situation will 
attract more tourists.  Beside, this would also be the right 
opportunity to seek US government's positive response to Nepal's 
demand for a free access of its garments to their market..." 
 
MALINOWSKI