MIDDLE EAST/AFRICA BRIEF OCPAS MEA 83-233 FOR 2 DECEMBER 1983

Created: 12/3/1983

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

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CONTENTS

1. NEPAL-US: KING'S VISIT

1. NEPAL-US: KING'S VISIT

KING 8IRENDRA IS VISITING WASHINGTON DURING IHE WEEKECEMBER HOPING TOLEAR ENDORSEMENT FOR HIS PROPOSAL TO HAVE NEPALONE OF PEACE AND TO OBTAIN SOME INCREASE IN ECONOMIC AND SECURITY ASSISTANCE. I

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KING BELIEVES US SUPPORT FOR HIS PLAN MOULD HELP SrRENG"HEN NEPAL'S NEUTRALI TVUFFER UECH INDIA AND CHINA. Hf INTENDS TO REQUEST MOPE ECONOMIC AID, INCL-JjIW SJCPOBT FQR CONTINUED DEVELOPMENT Of NEPAL'S HYDROELECTRIC MWER.

//BIRENDRA ALSO -ILL SEEK APPROVAL FOR HIS EFFORTSIBERAL WE SOME ASPECTS OF THE FEUDAL POLITICAL SVf"

//THE NEPALESE LEADER FEARS THATICH HE VIEWSOVIET SURROGATE--MILL TAKE ADVANTAGE OF AN* POLITICAL UNREST TO OVERWHELM NEPAL AS IT PREVIOUSLY MAS (ONE INN3 SHUT.

:OM*ENT; THE KING REMAINS THE 'IML ALTHORITY IN NEPAL AND FACES ONLY WEAKE0 OPPOSITION. THE POLITICAL DEFORMS THAT HE HAS INTRODUCED IN RECENT YEARS HAVE BEEN LARGELY COSMETIC. HIS LIBERALIZING INSTINCTS APE OFFSETENDENCYRE INFORCEOONSERVATIVE MEMBERS OF HISO PALACEPRESERVE THE PC.ER OF THE

Original document.

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