Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI2682
2005-04-08 15:23:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
NATWAR LOOKS AHEAD TO UN AND NUCLEAR DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON
how-toThis record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002682
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2015
TAGS: PREL KNNP ETTC IN PK UNSC NSSP
SUBJECT: NATWAR LOOKS AHEAD TO UN AND NUCLEAR DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON
Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002682
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2015
TAGS: PREL KNNP ETTC IN PK UNSC NSSP
SUBJECT: NATWAR LOOKS AHEAD TO UN AND NUCLEAR DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON
Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: In an April 8 meeting with the Ambassador and PolCouns, Foreign Minister Natwar Singh offered an upbeat preview of his April 13-14 meetings in Washington, placing particular importance on the issues of India's role in the UN and India's quest for access to US origin nuclear power technology. Alluding to the challenges of defending government policy in a Parliamentary system, Natwar indicated that this would be a high stakes visit for him and the US-India relationship. He spoke very warmly of the Secretary's recent visit to New Delhi, saying again how
SIPDIS impressed everyone in the GOI had been with her presentation.
He echoed these views in an April 8 television interview, lending credence to the theory that the Foreign Minister's trip will form part of a wider effort to silence leftist critics of the US-India partnership. In his meeting with the Ambassador, Natwar was surprisingly positive in describing President Musharraf's support for the April 7 Kashmir bus launch, but he also worried about the Pakistani President's plan to grandstand when he comes to Delhi for the April 17 cricket match. End Summary.
Strategic Initiative
--------------
2. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's outline of the US agenda and goals for the Foreign Minister's April 13-14 meetings in Washington, Natwar expressed hope that the visit will be as important to the Administration as it is to him.
He spoke later about the challenges of making policy in a Parliamentary democracy, describing how India's regional parties tend to pursue parochial agendas, with a ""loose cannon"" approach that makes it hard to innovate. Alluding to outspoken leftist criticism of the US initiative, Natwar predicted that Parliamentary skeptics will start asking ""why did you go to Washington"" questions as soon as he returns.
(For now this left criticism has mainly a nuisance value, but it could become more of a problem if the Minister has nothing to show for his Washington visit.)
3. (C) Asked about his own priorities, the Foreign Minister first raised the issue of India's role in international institutions. The Ambassador made clear that we are not at the point where the US will be making any commitments on UNSC reform, but noted our intention to continue making ""forward leaning statements"" about India's role in international institutions. Responding to our agenda for the Energy Dialogue, Natwar said he was pleased ""that some movement is taking place on the nuclear side."" The Ambassador noted that we are looking for movement from India on the NSSP, to include introduction and passage of export control legislation during this session of Parliament. Turning to the question of Manmohan Singh's travel to Washington, the Ambassador argued that it would be a mistake to defer this visit until the UNGA in September, as some in the press have suggested might happen. Natwar observed that the PM's calendar is very full, but said he would work on this, and noted the high caliber delegation he is taking to Washington, including Montek Singh Ahulwalia, the PM's key economic advisor.
4. (U) Natwar echoed many of these themes in an April 8 television interview, stating that he welcomed ""the improvement in our relations and the raising of our relations to a much higher level."" He downplayed disagreements with the US over supply of F-16's to Pakistan, declaring that India's relationship with the US ""has reached a level of maturity where we can live with our differences without our relations being affected adversely."" He emphasized that ""no aspect will be left out"" of his discussions in Washington.
The Foreign Minister also disavowed earlier statements that ""as a non-aligned country, India could not be the natural ally of a NATO power,"" dismissing it as a relic of the ""old Natwar."" He emphasized that as ""the Foreign Minister of India, it is my principal duty to ensure that India's vital national interests are never compromised and for that it is essential for us to have the closest relations with the United States.""
5. (C) GOI insiders tell us the ""new Natwar"" is part of a strategy to bring Leftist opponents of the US-India relationship around. Proponents of closer India/US ties believe that Natwar has solid credentials with the Left and can act as a ""stalking horse"" for change in policy. The key to this strategy is a successful Washington visit that rebuts those who contend that the US initiative is just empty rhetoric.
Upbeat on the Kashmir Bus
--------------
6. (C) Turning to the April 7 Kashmir bus launch, Natwar commented that ""if it hadn't happened yesterday, it wouldn't have worked at all."" He noted that ""the terrorists were convinced we'd not go through with it"" and recalled how even the BJP was calling for postponement after the April 6 attack in Srinagar. He was grateful for US offers of security assistance. The Foreign Minister was surprisingly positive about Musharraf's role, complementing the Pakistani President for ""taking a decisive view"" even though some in the GOP opposed it. ""The bus couldn't have gotten on the road without him,"" the Minister added. Natwar was more skeptical about Musharraf's plans to visit Delhi (a trip that will begins as the Foreign Minister steps off the plane from Washington). Noting that the visit has grown from a few hours to ""2 days and 2 nights,"" Natwar predicted that cricket will now be a ""side show."" He noted that the Pakistanis have already invited a group of journalists to breakfast, and predicted that Musharraf will ""hold forth on Kashmir."" ""We'll talk to him,"" Natwar added, clarifying that Musharraf's ""harping on Kashmir"" is accepted as part of the dialogue process.
MULFORD "
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2015
TAGS: PREL KNNP ETTC IN PK UNSC NSSP
SUBJECT: NATWAR LOOKS AHEAD TO UN AND NUCLEAR DISCUSSIONS IN WASHINGTON
Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) Summary: In an April 8 meeting with the Ambassador and PolCouns, Foreign Minister Natwar Singh offered an upbeat preview of his April 13-14 meetings in Washington, placing particular importance on the issues of India's role in the UN and India's quest for access to US origin nuclear power technology. Alluding to the challenges of defending government policy in a Parliamentary system, Natwar indicated that this would be a high stakes visit for him and the US-India relationship. He spoke very warmly of the Secretary's recent visit to New Delhi, saying again how
SIPDIS impressed everyone in the GOI had been with her presentation.
He echoed these views in an April 8 television interview, lending credence to the theory that the Foreign Minister's trip will form part of a wider effort to silence leftist critics of the US-India partnership. In his meeting with the Ambassador, Natwar was surprisingly positive in describing President Musharraf's support for the April 7 Kashmir bus launch, but he also worried about the Pakistani President's plan to grandstand when he comes to Delhi for the April 17 cricket match. End Summary.
Strategic Initiative
--------------
2. (C) Responding to the Ambassador's outline of the US agenda and goals for the Foreign Minister's April 13-14 meetings in Washington, Natwar expressed hope that the visit will be as important to the Administration as it is to him.
He spoke later about the challenges of making policy in a Parliamentary democracy, describing how India's regional parties tend to pursue parochial agendas, with a ""loose cannon"" approach that makes it hard to innovate. Alluding to outspoken leftist criticism of the US initiative, Natwar predicted that Parliamentary skeptics will start asking ""why did you go to Washington"" questions as soon as he returns.
(For now this left criticism has mainly a nuisance value, but it could become more of a problem if the Minister has nothing to show for his Washington visit.)
3. (C) Asked about his own priorities, the Foreign Minister first raised the issue of India's role in international institutions. The Ambassador made clear that we are not at the point where the US will be making any commitments on UNSC reform, but noted our intention to continue making ""forward leaning statements"" about India's role in international institutions. Responding to our agenda for the Energy Dialogue, Natwar said he was pleased ""that some movement is taking place on the nuclear side."" The Ambassador noted that we are looking for movement from India on the NSSP, to include introduction and passage of export control legislation during this session of Parliament. Turning to the question of Manmohan Singh's travel to Washington, the Ambassador argued that it would be a mistake to defer this visit until the UNGA in September, as some in the press have suggested might happen. Natwar observed that the PM's calendar is very full, but said he would work on this, and noted the high caliber delegation he is taking to Washington, including Montek Singh Ahulwalia, the PM's key economic advisor.
4. (U) Natwar echoed many of these themes in an April 8 television interview, stating that he welcomed ""the improvement in our relations and the raising of our relations to a much higher level."" He downplayed disagreements with the US over supply of F-16's to Pakistan, declaring that India's relationship with the US ""has reached a level of maturity where we can live with our differences without our relations being affected adversely."" He emphasized that ""no aspect will be left out"" of his discussions in Washington.
The Foreign Minister also disavowed earlier statements that ""as a non-aligned country, India could not be the natural ally of a NATO power,"" dismissing it as a relic of the ""old Natwar."" He emphasized that as ""the Foreign Minister of India, it is my principal duty to ensure that India's vital national interests are never compromised and for that it is essential for us to have the closest relations with the United States.""
5. (C) GOI insiders tell us the ""new Natwar"" is part of a strategy to bring Leftist opponents of the US-India relationship around. Proponents of closer India/US ties believe that Natwar has solid credentials with the Left and can act as a ""stalking horse"" for change in policy. The key to this strategy is a successful Washington visit that rebuts those who contend that the US initiative is just empty rhetoric.
Upbeat on the Kashmir Bus
--------------
6. (C) Turning to the April 7 Kashmir bus launch, Natwar commented that ""if it hadn't happened yesterday, it wouldn't have worked at all."" He noted that ""the terrorists were convinced we'd not go through with it"" and recalled how even the BJP was calling for postponement after the April 6 attack in Srinagar. He was grateful for US offers of security assistance. The Foreign Minister was surprisingly positive about Musharraf's role, complementing the Pakistani President for ""taking a decisive view"" even though some in the GOP opposed it. ""The bus couldn't have gotten on the road without him,"" the Minister added. Natwar was more skeptical about Musharraf's plans to visit Delhi (a trip that will begins as the Foreign Minister steps off the plane from Washington). Noting that the visit has grown from a few hours to ""2 days and 2 nights,"" Natwar predicted that cricket will now be a ""side show."" He noted that the Pakistanis have already invited a group of journalists to breakfast, and predicted that Musharraf will ""hold forth on Kashmir."" ""We'll talk to him,"" Natwar added, clarifying that Musharraf's ""harping on Kashmir"" is accepted as part of the dialogue process.
MULFORD "