VZCZCXRO9683
OO RUEHCI
DE RUEHKT #0403 1020918
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 110918Z APR 08
FM AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8304
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6418
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO PRIORITY 6735
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA PRIORITY 2024
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 4771
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 5984
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 2348
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA PRIORITY 4119
RHMFIUU/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC PRIORITY
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 3151
UNCLAS KATHMANDU 000403
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
STATE FOR ISN/WMDT (BLEWIS), T(TKATSAPIS) AND SCA/INS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MCAP PARM PINR PINS PREL PTER FR NP
SUBJECT: NEPAL NOT SENDING DELEGATE TO GLOBAL INITIATIVE EPG
REF: A. STATE 34519
B. STATE 27349
C. KATHMANDU 317
D. KATHMANDU 141
1. The Government of Nepal (GON) is unlikely to send any
delegates to the Global Initiative to Combat Nuclear
Terrorism Exercise Planning Group (EPG) to be held in Paris,
France on April 15. The Deputy Chief of Mission extended
invitation as requested in Ref B to Foreign Secretary Acharya
on April 3. On April 8, Emboff followed up with the duty
officer at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MFA) as per Ref
A. (Note: GON offices, including the MFA, are closed April
7-14 in observance of the Constituent Assembly election on
April 10 and subsequent local holidays. End note.) The duty
officer said he would contact the Foreign Secretary and
inform post if the GON decided to participate in the EPG.
2. The GON has been unable to participate in any Global
Initiative-related exercise to date because of a limited
budget and lack of officials with relevant technical
expertise (Ref D). The GON has yet to form an interagency
group to handle Global Initiative issues (Ref C). Post does
not anticipate movement on any major programs, including the
Global Initiative, until well after the new Constituent
Assembly sits, probably in May.
POWELL