MORE THAN CRICKET: MUSHARRAF TO HAVE FULL BILATERAL VISIT

S E C R E T NEW DELHI 002586

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/05/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER IN PK INDO PAK

SUBJECT: MORE THAN CRICKET: MUSHARRAF TO HAVE FULL BILATERAL VISIT
REF: NEW DELHI 2474
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt. Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) MEA Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran)
Dilip Sinha told PolCouns and Poloff on April 5 that the GOI is hoping for ""something more concrete than an exchange of views"" when President Musharraf meets Prime Minister Singh and other leaders during his April 16-18 visit to New Delhi to watch the India-Pakistan cricket match. Sinha declined to elaborate on which issues might see progress, but updated us on recent developments in several areas:

-- Siachen: As part of the second round of the Composite Dialogue, the Defense Secretaries will meet between now and June;

-- Expanded rail service: During his late March visit to New Delhi, former Prime Minister and President of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League (PML) Chaudhary Shaujat Hussain informed the GOI that the infrastructure on the Pakistan side for the Khokhrapar-Munnabao rail service would be ready within six months. Recalling that October 2005 had been the initial goal for launching this service, Sinha commented that he was not sure if Pakistan would be ready, but that New Delhi had assurances that Islamabad needs just six months;

-- Nuclear CBMs: Queried about progress on nuclear CBMs, Sinha remarked that ""New Delhi and Islamabad are looking at the possibilities,"" suggesting that there has been no further movement on the ideas floated during Natwar Singh's February visit to Islamabad;

-- Baglihar Dam: The PM gave his assurance to PML President Chaudhary Shaujat that India will uphold its Indus Waters Treaty obligations. The PM also noted to the Pakistani delegation that if the GOI were to suddenly release the water behind the dam, as Islamabad fears, the damage to India would be greater than that to Pakistan. New Delhi has asked for a list of specific points on which the GOP considers India in violation of the Treaty, but ""their concerns are political, not technical."" Sinha was not certain whether this would be addressed during Musharraf's upcoming visit, but reiterated the PM's commitment to treaty compliance;

-- Back-Channel Dialogue: It was unclear how Special Envoy to Pakistan SK Lambah's mandate would evolve, Sinha explained, but he is ""the point person for the back-channel dialogue."" Sinha highlighted Lambah's expertise in Indo-Pak relations, adding that his meeting with Pakistani NSA Tariq Aziz (reportedly to precede the Musharraf visit) would be fully coordinated with the Foreign Ministry. Unlike his predecessor, Arun K. Singh, Sinha did not appear particularly bothered by extensive press leaks around the back-channel talks.


2. (S) PolCouns followed up on our offer to provide security support for the Srinagar-Muzzafarabad bus scheduled to launch on April 7 (reftel),underlining that this is strictly a CT issue, and in no way suggests a change in the US position that Jammu and Kashmir is a bilateral issue to be resolved between India and Pakistan. Sinha's Americas desk counterpart (J/S Jaishankar) had earlier indicated to us that the MEA wants to accept our offer, but is waiting for a green light from the Home Ministry.
MULFORD "