MEA "VERY SUPPORTIVE" OF AFGHAN SAARC MEMBERSHIP

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 008007 SIPDIS DEPT FOR SA/A PMOON E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/13/2015 TAGS: PREL ETRD IN AF XD SUBJECT: MEA "VERY SUPPORTIVE" OF AFGHAN SAARC MEMBERSHIP REF: STATE 187206 Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) In an October 14 meeting with PolCouns and Poloff, MEA Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Dilip Sinha -- after reading Reftel demarche -- said the GOI is "very supportive" of Afghanistan joining SAARC. Sinha reported that the GOI has raised this topic repeatedly with the GOA, including during Afghan Foreign Minister Abdullah's July 3 meeting in Delhi with Foreign Minister Natwar Singh and PM Singh's August 28-29 trip to Afghanistan. Sinha underlined that the first step would be Kabul approaching Islamabad (PM Aziz is the current SAARC Chairman),but the GOI had already sounded out the GOP and received a favorable verdict. Remarking that "Afghanistan is a natural member of SAARC," he added that the application process is simple -- "Kabul need only submit a note verbal on official stationary." ¶2. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: (http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) BLAKE