Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI8748
2005-11-17 12:41:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:  

DUE TO INTERNAL POLITICS, INDIA RELUCTANT ON IRAN

Tags:  PHUM MNUC KNNP IN IR 
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This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 008748 

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015
TAGS: PHUM MNUC KNNP IN IR
SUBJECT: DUE TO INTERNAL POLITICS, INDIA RELUCTANT ON IRAN
3RD COMMITTEE VOTE

REF: SECSTATE 207928

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 008748

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/16/2015
TAGS: PHUM MNUC KNNP IN IR
SUBJECT: DUE TO INTERNAL POLITICS, INDIA RELUCTANT ON IRAN
3RD COMMITTEE VOTE

REF: SECSTATE 207928

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


1. (C) Charge delivered reftel demarche to Foreign Secretary
Shyam Saran during a November 15 meeting with Special Advisor
on UN Reform Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli. Saran promised
to examine the issues raised, but pointed out that India is
already in a difficult position with Iran (as a result of
IAEA deliberations). He noted that India has already
discussed a similar demarche on Human Rights in regards to
Cuba. Saran noted that while India wants to promote human
rights, it is uncomfortable with country specific resolutions.


2. (C) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli pointed out to Saran that
China has used the "no action" motion to avoid censure of its
poor human rights record and now Iran, for the first time, is
resorting to the same tactic. This, she emphasized, is
because Iran has likely concluded that it has no hope of
defeating this motion. The President and the Secretary, she
pointed out, have made human rights a very high priority as
part of our transformational diplomacy, which has even
included criticism of the human rights performance of
friendly countries in the Middle East. Iran has clearly
taken a step backward in recent months, she said, arresting
people, restricting access to the internet and recalling some
of its Ambassadors, who had been judged by the current
government as being more moderate. Because of this behavior,
Iran knows that it can lose this vote on substance.

Comment: Staying the Course
--------------


3. (C) The GOI is unlikely to deviate from its long-standing
policy of opposition to country-specific human rights
resolutions. This is particularly true regarding a
resolution specifically criticizing Iran, over which there is
great domestic political sensitivity. The GOI has received
massive criticism for hewing too closely to US
non-proliferation policies regarding Iran following its
September IAEA vote in our favor, and will be especially
reluctant to vote against Iran in the Third Committee and
invite more internal political attacks, as it prepares for a
possible second IAEA vote on November 24.


4. (U) Ambassador Tahir-Kheli has cleared this message.
BLAKE