INDIA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR IRAQ, BUT NO NEW

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001664

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/02/2015
TAGS: PGOV PREL ELAB ENRG IZ IN
SUBJECT: INDIA REAFFIRMS SUPPORT FOR IRAQ, BUT NO NEW
INITIATIVES

REF: STATE 30179

Classified By: DCM Robert O. Blake, Jr., for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: Outgoing MEA Joint Secretary (Gulf Division)

R. Dayakar and his successor Sanjay Singh reiterated GOI
willingness to support Iraq's reconstruction, but offered no
new initiatives in a meeting with PolCouns and PolMilOff on
March 3. Assistance to Iraq will continue to be constrained
by what the UPA's Left parties and the Congress Party will
support. Despite these constraints, Indo-Iraq trade
continues, especially in the oil sector. India hopes to
reactivate a pre-2001 contract for oil exploration in Iraq.
End Summary.


2. (C) Presenting a non-paper encouraging support for the
Iraqi transitional government (Reftel),PolCouns expressed
appreciation for GOI statements following the January 30
elections, and noted that support for the democratic
transition in Iraq remains among the USG's highest
priorities.


3. (C) Dayakar reviewed current GOI support for Iraq:
training and scholarships in India for Iraqis and a new
program to produce high energy biscuits for the World Food
Program for distribution in Iraq. Earlier proposals such as
the dispatch of a military hospital to Najaf would be
activated when the security situation improves, he promised.
In the meantime, the travel ban on Indian citizens traveling
to Iraq remains in effect, and sending Indian troops will not
be considered. He confirmed that the GOI will participate in
the donors' conference for Iraq in April.


4. (SBU) PolCouns asked about a March 2 article in "The
Asian Age" about hundreds of Indian agricultural workers from
the Indian state of Andra Pradesh who migrate to Iraq each
month despite the travel ban, seeking work in military camps,
construction sites, and transport companies. Dayakar opined
that most of these workers are actually looking for work in
other Gulf States, but are lured to Iraq by unscrupulous
manpower agents.


5. (C) Despite the travel ban, Indo-Iraq trade continues,
Dayakar explained. Notably, oil trade with Iraq has
increased and will continue to do grow as India's state-owned
Oil and Natural Gas Corporation's (ONGC) pre-2001 contract
for oil exploration is reactivated. According to Dayakar,
Iraq is one of several countries where India is pursuing new
oil exploration opportunities.


6. (C) In the aftermath of the January 30 elections,
PolCouns commented on positive changes in Iraq and
internationally: that some observers had noted that the
insurgency may be losing support because of the elections,
and that even opponents to Coalition intervention in Iraq are
making constructive statements. Recalling a GOI official's
comment that Indian Parliamentary politics are "lagging
behind reality" in the case of Iraq, PolCouns asked about MP
interest in Iraq in the current session of Parliament.
Dayakar responded that Parliament is a fair barometer of
public interest, and that there had been 2-3 queries on
facts, not policies, submitted by Parliament the previous
day. In the absence of a new political directive, he
indicated that GOI policy would continue on its current
cautious path.


7. (C) PolCouns also asked about the status of GOI
acceptance of the agrement for the Iraqi ambassador-designate
to India. Dayakar said the agrement had been held up for
"technical reasons." (Note: According to Iraqi Charge S.
Husayn, the agrement has been pending since September.)
However, he promised fast-track consideration of the agrement
and indicated that the GOI would revive its invitation for an
Iraqi Foreign Minister visit to New Delhi as soon as the
transitional government is selected.

8. (U) Baghdad minimize considered.
MULFORD