INVITATION DELIVERED, SARAN OUT OF TOWN

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 004355

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR IO/UNP (S BROCK),P (B HUNT),USUN FOR L GADKOWSKI

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/08/2015
TAGS: PREL IN UNSC
SUBJECT: INVITATION DELIVERED, SARAN OUT OF TOWN

REF: STATE 107200 NOTAL

Classified By: Charge Robert Blake for Reasons 1.4(B, D).


1. (C) As Foreign Secretary Saran is away from New Delhi,
Charge forwarded U/S Burns's invitation to Saran's office via
letter, and called Acting Joint Secretary (Americas) Renu
Pall to alert her to the invitation. Pall called Charge
later in the day to say that Saran already has committed to
participate in the South-South Summit in Qatar from June
14-16, after which he must return to New Delhi for Foreign
Office consultations with Bangladesh on the 17th and other
countries the following week. Pall noted that the Indian
PermRep also will be attending the South-South Summit, but
could conceivably participate in talks in New York on June 17.

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


2. (C) Although Saran may not be able to travel to New York,
it may be possible to include him via digital video
conference from Qatar. We have NOT/NOT broached this with
the GOI, pending instructions from Washington.
BLAKE