Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
05NEWDELHI8928
2005-11-25 11:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:  

INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY FRETS ABOUT JIHADI

Tags:  PREL PTER MOPS EAID IN PK INDO PAK 
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008928 

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS EAID IN PK INDO PAK
SUBJECT: INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY FRETS ABOUT JIHADI
ACTIVITIES IN PAKISTANI KASHMIR AND NATO LOC VIOLATIONS

REF: WAHLERT-SBOTO/PYATT 11/9 E-MAIL

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

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008928

SIPDIS

SIPRNET DISTRIBUTION

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/25/2015
TAGS: PREL PTER MOPS EAID IN PK INDO PAK
SUBJECT: INDIAN FOREIGN SECRETARY FRETS ABOUT JIHADI
ACTIVITIES IN PAKISTANI KASHMIR AND NATO LOC VIOLATIONS

REF: WAHLERT-SBOTO/PYATT 11/9 E-MAIL

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


1. (C) This is an action request. Please see para 5.


2. (C) Indian Foreign Secretary Saran summoned the Charge on
November 24 to register concern about several dimensions of
international relief activities in Pakistani Kashmir.
Saran's delivery of the non-paper in para 5 was low key and
respectful of the fact that NATO and USAID activities in
Pakistani Kashmir are humanitarian in focus. He also made
clear he would be making the same points to a handful of
other NATO reps in India. In this "thought you should know"
context, Saran flagged three specific concerns:

-- That relief activities should not compromise India's claim
to the entire princely state of Jammu and Kashmir (a legal
point clearly aimed at insulating the government in the
likely event this issue surfaces in the current session of
Parliament).

-- GOI concern (widely echoed in the Delhi press) that ISI
and the Pakistan Army are steering relief materials to
jihadist groups.

-- That Pakistani and NATO helicopters are committing "large
numbers" of violations of the Line of Control (LOC) and that
Pakistan's DGMO is failing to provide courtesy notification
of helicopter sorties that are going inside the
pre-earthquake "no fly zone."


3. (C) Responding to Saran's concern about jihadist groups
taking advantage of relief activities, the Charge emphasized
the humanitarian focus of the US presence and the US
sensitivity to the risk that terrorist groups could use the
earthquake to regain ground. He added that we have shared
these concerns with the Pakistani government at a senior
level. To the best of our knowledge, the Charge added, no US
relief has been channeled through jihadist groups. Saran
welcomed this clarification, but reiterated that it "does not
augur well" for the Indo-Pak peace process that the Army and
ISI are actively encouraging terrorist groups to help with
relief. He added, in this context, that Indian communication
intercepts suggest that groups like LET see the earthquake as
an opportunity "to up the ante on the Indian side."


4. (C) PolCouns addressed Saran's concerns about LOC
overflight, drawing on reftel to explain that after the
November 8 incident in which two US helicopters accidentally
landed on the Indian side of the LOC, US forces adopted a
policy of not flying within a 5 KM LOC buffer zone, in order
to avoid further incidents. Saran was unaware of earlier
US-India exchanges on this topic and welcomed the
clarification. Separately, the Indian DGMO told DATT that he
was unaware of any further US airspace violations since
November 9 (separately, the MEA has promised to provide a
catalogue of all airspace violations, including those
involving NATO and Pakistani forces).


5. (U) Begin GOI Text:

Government of India have noted the presence of NATO and
American troops in large parts of Pakistan-occupied Kashmir
for carrying out relief and rehabilitation work for the
victims of the earthquake that took place on 8 October 2005.
We appreciate and share your humanitarian concern and,
therefore, do not wish to take issue on the presence of your
troops in territory that is illegally occupied by Pakistan.
However, Government of India wishes to place on record their
concern that the earthquake and the presence of foreign
troops and relief agencies may be used by Pakistan to further
international acceptance of its illegal occupation of large
parts of the State of Jammu and Kashmir. Government of India
would like to reaffirm that the entire territory of the State
of Jammu and Kashmir belongs to India by virtue of the
accession of this former princely State to India in
accordance with the Indian Independence Act of 1947. We are
also concerned that under the pretext of earthquake relief, a
number of Jihadi groups which have been involved in
cross-border terrorism against India, and have proven links
with Al-Qaeda, are given legitimacy. This does not augur
well for the future. It is important that Western
Governments and NGOs engaged in relief work do not associate
themselves in any manner with such groups and avoid, directly
or indirectly, to give them respectability.


6. (C) Action request: Mission would welcome any
clarification we can provide to the Indian government
regarding US efforts to guard against terrorist groups
gaining access to and advantage from US relief in Pakistani
Kashmir. We also would appreciate any updates on the LOC
overflight issue, which as Saran points out, could easily
provoke a security incident.
BLAKE