US embassy cable - 05KATHMANDU2572

C O N F I D E N T I A L KATHMANDU 002572 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT FOR SA/INS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2015 
TAGS: PREL, MASS, MCAP, PINS, NP 
SUBJECT:  ISRAELI AMBASSADOR HESITANT ON M-16 AMMO SALES 
 
REF: KATHMANDU 2516 
 
Classified By: Ambassador James F. Moriarty, reasons 1.4 (b/d) 
 
ISRAEL HESITANT TO DELIVER M-16 AMMUNITION TO NEPAL 
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1. (C) In a November 25 meeting with the Ambassador, Israeli 
Ambassador Dan Stav said that the government of Israel (GOI) 
had received pressure from the Israel Military Industry (IMI) 
to go through with the delivery of M-16 ammunition to Nepal. 
Stav noted that the general perception that Israel could not 
deliver Nepal's ammunition because they had sold all 
available M-16 ammunition to the U.S. for use in Iraq was 
incorrect.  He reaffirmed that Nepal had a contract with 
Israel for the M-16 ammunition.  However, Stav said that both 
he and the Israeli Foreign Ministry had recommended the GOI 
not deliver the ammunition.  The Ambassador stressed that the 
USG was not opposed to the delivery of ammunition to Nepal. 
He explained that the USG did not want the Royal Nepalese 
Army (RNA) to be so weakened due to lack of ammunition that 
it collapsed under Maoist offensives.  The USG also did not 
want Nepal's M-16's to go unused for want of ammunition.  Nor 
did we want Chinese AK-47's to replace the M-16's or to give 
China the chance to rescue Nepal with such a sale; a large 
weapons sale to Nepal by the Chinese could lessen the 
pressure on the King to compromise with the political 
parties.  In contrast, the provision of some M-16 ammunition 
by Israel would not allow the King to pretend he had found a 
backer to fill the void created by the U.S., U.K., and India 
suspending arms shipments.  Stav undertook to convey the 
USG's position on the delivery of ammunition to his 
government.  He noted that, to date, he did not know whether 
Israel had received any pressure from India opposing the 
delivery. 
 
CONCERN THAT MAOISTS MIGHT TARGET ISRAELI TOURISTS 
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2. (C) The Israeli Ambassador expressed serious concern that 
the Maoists might begin targeting Israeli tourists if Israel 
delivered the ammunition to Nepal.  He worried about a 
recently published Maoist regional commander's directive that 
for the first time specifically mentioned Israel.  It 
instructed Maoist cadre not to cooperate with Israeli aid 
programs (as well with those of the U.S.).  The Ambassador 
replied that Israel had to balance the sale of ammunition 
with its concerns for the safety of Israeli tourists.  He 
noted that the U.S. remained at the top of the Maoist list of 
enemies, yet the Maoists had recently been careful not to do 
anything against Americans or other westerners.  The 
Ambassador commented that the mention of Israel in the 
published Maoist directive could be more of a gesture of 
international solidarity with other extreme leftist movements 
than a real threat to Israeli interests. 
 
CHINA AND PAKISTAN ARMS SUPPLIES TO NEPAL? 
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3. (C) Stav informed the Ambassador that he had heard from an 
arms dealer in Pakistan that Pakistan had attempted 
unsuccessfully to sell arms to Nepal in September, but still 
hoped to be able to complete a deal by the end of November. 
The Ambassador replied that the USG had asked Pakistan not to 
sell arms to Nepal and that, given Pakistan's close 
relationship with the U.S., Pakistan was in a high risk 
position if it chose otherwise.  The Ambassador told Stav 
that he had met last week with Chinese Ambassador Sun Heping, 
who had categorically denied Chinese intentions to sell arms 
to Nepal (reftel).  The Ambassador said that the USG and 
Indian Government had demarched China regarding arms sales to 
Nepal and expressed the hope that maybe the message had 
gotten through. 
MORIARTY