MEA ESTIMATES ZARANJ-DELARAM ROAD COMPLETION BY

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 008008 SIPDIS SENSITIVE DEPT FOR SA/A PMOON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PGOV PREL ELTN EAID IN AF SUBJECT: MEA ESTIMATES ZARANJ-DELARAM ROAD COMPLETION BY DECEMBER 2007 REF: A. STATE 184232 ¶B. NEW DELHI 7798 ¶1. (SBU) Further to Ref A demarche, PolCouns and Poloff met on October 14 with MEA Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) Dilip Sinha, who reiterated that, because of delays in procuring supplies and fuel for the Zaranj-Delaram road project from Iran, the completion date has slipped from March 2007 to December 2007. Sinha added that construction is proceeding, and he would review the project's progress with India's Ambassador to Afghanistan Rakesh Sood during Sood's October 17-21 consultations in New Delhi. ¶2. (SBU) Sinha also relayed rumors he had heard that the USG is focusing on deadlines to prepare for an imminent departure from Afghanistan. Drawing on the Secretary's remarks in Kabul, PolCouns underlined that the US would not leave Afghanistan prematurely. Sinha welcomed this reassurance, noting that India was strongly opposed to any premature withdrawal of coalition forces from Afghanistan. ¶3. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: (http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) BLAKE