Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI1427
2005-02-24 14:09:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:  

NOTHING MAJOR FROM JACK STRAW'S NEW DELHI VISIT

Tags:  PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM IN NP BG AF UK INDO PAK 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001427 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM IN NP BG AF UK INDO PAK
SUBJECT: NOTHING MAJOR FROM JACK STRAW'S NEW DELHI VISIT


Classified By: Acting DCM Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001427

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM KCRM IN NP BG AF UK INDO PAK
SUBJECT: NOTHING MAJOR FROM JACK STRAW'S NEW DELHI VISIT


Classified By: Acting DCM Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's February
16-18 visit to India yielded "nothing major," according to
the UK High Commission, and was distinctly low key compared
to earlier stops in Kabul and Islamabad. Straw signed two
immigration/law enforcement agreements, and discussed
Indo-Pak, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iran, UNSC
reform and the July G-8 Summit. Surprisingly, Straw did not
raise Iraq. The timing of his visit, in advance of expected
elections in the UK later this year, led to speculation that
he may have had his own constituency in mind as much as
UK-India relations. End Summary.


2. (C) Reviewing the visit, UK High Commission Poloff told
us February 23 that Straw seems to have viewed his New Delhi
stop as something of a break after demanding visits in Kabul
and Islamabad. UK PolCouns agreed that New Delhi was a
low-intensity breather after more substantial visits earlier
in the trip. Straw several times reminded audiences that he
had honeymooned in India, and was clearly more at ease with
his Indian interlocutors than he had been at previous stops,
according to our High Commission contacts.


3. (C) During his New Delhi visit, Straw met with External
Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, National Security Advisor M.

K. Narayanan, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, and BJP leaders
Yashwant Sinha and L. K. Advani. The latter meeting was
intended in particular to defuse BJP criticism of the
breakthrough Indo-Pak agreement for bus service in Kashmir.
UK Poloff remarked that both the GOI and opposition figures
were largely in harmony on the Indian policies toward Nepal,
Pakistan, and Bangladesh.


4. (C) One area of substance during Straw's visit was the
agreement signed for prisoner transfers between the two
nations, and the renewal of a memorandum of understanding on
the return of illegitimate asylum seekers to India. The slow
documentation of Indian nationals prior to repatriation has

been an irritant, and the February agreement renewed an MOU
signed during Home Minister David Blunkett's 2004 visit.
Although the agreements garnered positive press coverage, UK
PolCouns hinted that they were aimed mainly at addressing
anti-immigrant sentiment in Britain during election season,
and would have little practical impact since implementation
problems persist.

Indo-Pak Relationship and Kashmir
--------------


5. (C) Straw congratulated Foreign Minister Singh on the
progress in relations between India and Pakistan. UK Poloff
commented that the Straw visit came at a good time in
Indo-Pak relationships, with little substantive discussion
other than expressions of encouragement at the positive
direction of confidence-building measures. BJP former
Foreign Minister Sinha was predictably critical of recent GOI
policies, pointing out the potential for infiltration of
militants into Indian Kashmir through the recently announced
Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service. The High Commission
reported that Straw found the general agreement with GOI
policy among opposition politicians to be encouraging.
During discussions with Straw on Kashmir, Home Minister Patil
gave "the answer you'd expect," namely that India was ready
to hold talks with anybody. Straw encouraged Patil to
restart the dialogue with the All-Parties Hurriyat
Conference, and also raised the subject of human rights in
Kashmir. Patil's response, according to the High Commission,
was that human rights violations are down in Kashmir, and
there are appropriate state and national human rights
commissions to look into violations. NSA Narayanan lobbied
Straw to alter the Foreign Office's travel advisory to UK
citizens warning them against travel to Jammu and Kashmir,
and Straw agreed to look into that issue.

Nepal - Consultations, but how much coordination?
-------------- --------------


6. (C) The High Commission told us that both the UK and
Indian side were interested in discussing the situation in
Nepal, although the FCO did not want to heighten pressure on
Kathmandu at this stage. Straw and Singh agreed in their
analysis of what had happened in Nepal, but they did not get
into detail of what will come next. UK Poloff told us that
her impression of the discussion was that India is hoping
that its levers (for example, suspension of military aid)
will have a quick effect. However, our High Commission
contacts were not convinced that India knows what it will do
if the King does not respond to these levers. Foreign
Minister Singh appeared to be very keen on maintaining
consultations with the UK on Nepal.

Afghanistan and Iran
--------------


7. (C) Arriving in New Delhi after Kabul, Straw offered
thanks to India for its assistance to the government of
Afghanistan. The High Commission noted that Singh had
responded positively to Straw's encouragement that India
assist Afghanistan in the area of counter-narcotics, but
pointed out that the UK had attempted to engage the GOI in
counter-narcotics before, and had discovered that while in
principle the MEA may favor attempts to combat the narcotics
trade, in practice "they aren't going anywhere." When the
conversation turned to Iran, Straw emphasized that India must
push Tehran to cooperate with the EU-3 on its nuclear
programs. The Indian officials' response to Straw's
exhortation was that they have given the message to Iran that
Iran should cooperate in the talks with the EU-3 and IAEA.
The High Commission stated that the UK feels that India has
so far been helpful on the Iran matter.

More consultations on Bangladesh
--------------


8. (C) The British reported that Singh was very keen to
discuss Bangladesh with Straw, and noted that India gave a
presentation on the "terrorist threat" coming from
Bangladesh. Straw made the point to Singh that the stability
of the political system of Bangladesh is a wider issue than
cross-border terrorism alone. Singh and Straw agreed to
consult further on issues involving Bangladesh.

India pushes its positions on international organizations
-------------- --------------


9. (C) Singh confirmed to Straw that Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh will attend the July G-8 Summit at Gleneagles. Indian
interlocutors pushed the GOI's desire for a permanent seat on
the UNSC, and Jack Straw's blunt answer at a press conference
that India needed to recognize the realistic options for UNSC
reform ruffled local feathers. However, our UK contacts
noted that Straw's remarks did not get the same outraged
press coverage that attended Vladimir Putin's similar remarks
in December.


10. (C) British officers in New Delhi were disappointed that
Straw did not engage Indian interlocutors on Iraq.

Comment
--------------


11. (C) Unlike Straw's earlier visits, several of which came
in the white heat of Indo-Pak crisis diplomacy, this trip had
the feeling of a valedictory tour. Predictably, there was
much speculation here that domestic UK politics were driving
Straw's visit (he told a TV interviewer that his constituency
includes over 45,000 persons of South Asian descent). That
impression was reinforced by the Foreign Secretary's
extensive tour of Indian Punjab. His comments during the
visit illustrated again how important South Asia is in his
consciousness, and in public remarks he several times
referred to his 2002 crisis diplomacy with Secretary Powell.
Aside from the consular-related agreements, there were no
deliverables, but Straw's discussions with senior GOI
officials on regional and global foreign policy issues
illustrate how the UK-GOI "strategic dialogue" is
intensifying.
MULFORD