SARAN EXPRESSES APPRECIATION FOR TSUNAMI

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000033

SIPDIS

ALSO FOR TF-2

E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2015
TAGS: PREL EAID MASS CE IN
SUBJECT: SARAN EXPRESSES APPRECIATION FOR TSUNAMI
COLLABORATION, SEES NEW PHASE OF CORE GROUP EFFORT


Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford, Reasons 1.4 (B,D).


1. (C) In a January 3 meeting with the Ambassador, Foreign
Secretary Saran expressed satisfaction at the US-India

SIPDIS
partnership in responding to the December 26 Bay of Bengal
tsunami, and offered his understanding that the core group --

SIPDIS
having effectively triggered a robust response from the UN
and others in the international community -- would now move
into a different phase with fewer daily teleconferences.


2. (C) Providing some context for his January 1 phone call to
Undersecretary Grossman, Saran explained that India was
surprised by press reports of comments attributed to the US
Ambassador in Colombo referring to the imminent arrival in
Sri Lanka of a very large US Marine contingent. He raised
this at the political level only because it was not
consistent with information shared in core group channels.
"We are not saying this is our backyard so you need to stay
out," Saran elaborated. However, given the large number of
Indian forces already in Sri Lanka (which he put at 1,200,
plus multiple ships and aircraft),it is important for New
Delhi to be aware of US military planning. In this context,
Saran welcomed the US military briefing that DAO provided
earlier that day to the Indian armed forces.


3. (C) Contrary to reports appearing in the Sri Lankan press
(now repeated in Indian media) Saran did not convey any sense
of unease about the US military presence in India's
neighborhood. To the contrary, he expressed great
appreciation for India's involvement in the tsunami core
group and the recognition that implied of the GOI's
contribution to reconstruction and recovery in Sri Lanka and
the Maldives. He added that the daily teleconference was "an
extremely useful exercise." He was gracious in acknowledging
the United States' early statement of sympathy and support
for the Indian victims of the tsunami.


4. (C) The Ambassador flagged the US military interest in
developing further channels of US-India information sharing
in the Bay of Bengal region. Saran agreed this would be
useful, noted that Indian Ambassadors in the region have been
instructed to reach out to US counterparts, and indicated
that the Indian defense attache in Bangkok had been tasked to
"look into coordination with the USJTF" at Utapao. With
USAID efforts now turning to the question of long term
reconstruction, the Ambassador suggested that this too would
be a mutually beneficial area of US-India information
sharing. Saran did not respond specifically, but did note
the GOI expectation that the UN will play an increasingly
prominent role as the focus turns from Tsunami relief to
long-term reconstruction in the Bay of Bengal region.


5. (C) Septel covers Saran's concerns regarding the potential
for upcoming Codel visits to disrupt ongoing relief efforts
in tsunami-affected regions of southern India.
MULFORD