GOI ON NSSP REMAINING STEPS: U.S. MOVING THE

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 004632

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/17/2015
TAGS: ENRG ETTC PARM PGOV IN NSSP
SUBJECT: GOI ON NSSP REMAINING STEPS: U.S. MOVING THE
NON-PROLIFERATION GOALPOSTS

REF: STATE 112244

Classified By: DCM Bob Blake, for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)


1. (C) Summary: In response to DCM's delivery of reftel
demarche on June 17, MEA Additional Secretary (International
Security) Meera Shankar expressed concern that the USG was
"moving the goalposts" on non-proliferation negotiations and
that it would be difficult to achieve harmonization beyond
the Chemical Weapons Convention (CWC) requirements. She
noted that although the GOI was not happy with India's gains
from the NSSP, they had adhered to their commitments but now
saw the USG request for harmonization with the Australia
Group (AG) and Wassenaar Arrangement (WA) as a new change in
the requirements. She worried that it would be difficult to
achieve harmonization with an "ad hoc group" beyond the
requirements of the CWC. DCM responded that the US is not
moving the goalposts because harmonization of GOI control
lists with the AG and WA is not a condition for concluding
NSSP, nor is it new since these two lists had been part of
our discussions since D/NSA Hadley's September 2003 visit to
New Delhi. Shankar requested clarification on USG intentions
and the final contours of cooperation, and said that she
would respond to the non-paper at a later date. End Summary.


2. (C) After DCM delivered reftel points, Shankar responded
that she had taken note of the remaining steps to complete
NSSP phase two and three, but her "prima facie reaction" was
that the USG request for AG and Wassenaar harmonization was
"moving the goalposts with respect to nonproliferation."
When the GOI completed one step, Washington kept "putting
fresh ideas on the table." She was "unclear about the
intention" of these steps, and asked whether it was to
"facilitate more cooperation" or something else.


3. (C) As a member of the CWC, Shankar cautioned the GOI
position is to abide by this agreement, and an "ad hoc group"
cannot take precedence over an international convention in
which India is a decision making member. She observed that
the request to harmonize with the AG and Wassenaar was
"totally new" and that it would not be easy to go beyond that
Convention. She requested more information on the "final
contours of the cooperation."


4. (C) Emphasizing that AG and Wassenaar harmonization were
not conditions for completing the NSSP, DCM told Shankar that
they would be helpful steps to facilitate further Indo-US
cooperation in such areas as space. Stressing that the US
was not moving the goalposts, DCM explained that as India
crosses an important milestone of completing the NSSP,
Washington is looking forward to new possibilities for
cooperation in a broad range of space, energy and defense
areas. The DCM also reminded Shankar that the US had been
discussing the desirability of the GOI harmonizing its
control lists with those of the NSG, MTCR, AG and Wassenaar
since then-D/NSA Hadley's September 2003 visit to Delhi.
Shankar reiterated that she had taken note of the points and
could not comment immediately on further harmonization but
would respond later to the non-paper.
MULFORD