Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI2622
2006-04-19 11:13:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
DESPITE DOMESTIC PRESSURE, PM AGAIN DEFENDS
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002622
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016
TAGS: PREL KNNP PGOV KISL MNUC IN IR
SUBJECT: DESPITE DOMESTIC PRESSURE, PM AGAIN DEFENDS
INDIA'S VOTE AGAINST IRAN
REF: NEW DELHI 948
NEW DELHI 00002622 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4(B, D)
PM DEFENDS IRAN POLICY
----------------------
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002622
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016
TAGS: PREL KNNP PGOV KISL MNUC IN IR
SUBJECT: DESPITE DOMESTIC PRESSURE, PM AGAIN DEFENDS
INDIA'S VOTE AGAINST IRAN
REF: NEW DELHI 948
NEW DELHI 00002622 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4(B, D)
PM DEFENDS IRAN POLICY
--------------
1. (SBU) In an April 18 meeting with prominent Indian Muslim
leaders including Ahmed Bukhari, chief Imam of New Delhi's
largest mosque, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated
India's conviction that it was correct to vote in the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran's
nuclear program to the UN Security Council. Singh repeated
that Iran "should have all the rights and duties of a
signatory state to the NPT," but added, "It is a fact Iran
had a clandestine nuclear program for several years and it is
not in our interest to have another nuclear weapons state in
our neighborhood." He emphasized that India's vote was based
on India's interests, saying "there is no question of
succumbing to external pressure with regard to foreign
policy."
BUKHARI APPLAUDS PM'S STANCE
--------------
2. (C) Imam Bukhari told Pol FSN on April 19 that the PM's
comments came in response to a question from Markazi
Majlis-e-Amla (MMA) leader Syed Shahabuddin, who pressed
Singh to defend India's vote on Iran. The PM made very clear
that India had no issue with the Iranian people, and had
great respect for its culture, Bukhari reported, but strongly
defended India's position that Iran should not pursue nuclear
weapons and must uphold its NPT and IAEA commitments.
Bukhari stated that he and most other Muslim leaders were
encouraged by Manmohan Singh's comments, and have no
objection to his statements on Iran's nuclear program.
(NOTE: Bukhari's reiteration of his position underscores
again the distance between the mainstream Muslim leaders and
the firebrands who have been whipping up public opinion,
reportedly at the behest of Iranian officials (reftel). END
NOTE)
COMMENT: STRONG DEFENSE AT A DIFFICULT TIME
--------------
3. (C) The PM's full-throated defense of Indian policy in
the presence of Muslim leaders who have joined the Left Front
parties to defend Iran's behavior again demonstrates the
seriousness of the GOI's support for global nonproliferation.
Justifying the vote as being in India's interest should help
convince critics -- domestic and foreign -- that India's Iran
stance is genuine and permanent. The Prime Minister faced
considerable pressure to avoid comment, as his meeting with
the Muslim delegation comes in the middle of State elections
in India (in which Muslims are a critical vote bloc for his
party),just after a terrorist blast at Bukhari's Jama
Masjid, and in the context of domestic controversy over a
government recommendation to increase reserved slots in
educational institutions for minorities. In spite of the
good reasons to sidestep the touchy Iran issue, PM Singh once
again spoke up in a principled fashion to defend New Delhi's
position, reminding his critics that India's interests depend
on being on the right side on nonproliferation and in
limiting Iran's nuclear ambitions.
NEW DELHI 00002622 002.2 OF 002
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
BLAKE
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016
TAGS: PREL KNNP PGOV KISL MNUC IN IR
SUBJECT: DESPITE DOMESTIC PRESSURE, PM AGAIN DEFENDS
INDIA'S VOTE AGAINST IRAN
REF: NEW DELHI 948
NEW DELHI 00002622 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4(B, D)
PM DEFENDS IRAN POLICY
--------------
1. (SBU) In an April 18 meeting with prominent Indian Muslim
leaders including Ahmed Bukhari, chief Imam of New Delhi's
largest mosque, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh reiterated
India's conviction that it was correct to vote in the
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) to refer Iran's
nuclear program to the UN Security Council. Singh repeated
that Iran "should have all the rights and duties of a
signatory state to the NPT," but added, "It is a fact Iran
had a clandestine nuclear program for several years and it is
not in our interest to have another nuclear weapons state in
our neighborhood." He emphasized that India's vote was based
on India's interests, saying "there is no question of
succumbing to external pressure with regard to foreign
policy."
BUKHARI APPLAUDS PM'S STANCE
--------------
2. (C) Imam Bukhari told Pol FSN on April 19 that the PM's
comments came in response to a question from Markazi
Majlis-e-Amla (MMA) leader Syed Shahabuddin, who pressed
Singh to defend India's vote on Iran. The PM made very clear
that India had no issue with the Iranian people, and had
great respect for its culture, Bukhari reported, but strongly
defended India's position that Iran should not pursue nuclear
weapons and must uphold its NPT and IAEA commitments.
Bukhari stated that he and most other Muslim leaders were
encouraged by Manmohan Singh's comments, and have no
objection to his statements on Iran's nuclear program.
(NOTE: Bukhari's reiteration of his position underscores
again the distance between the mainstream Muslim leaders and
the firebrands who have been whipping up public opinion,
reportedly at the behest of Iranian officials (reftel). END
NOTE)
COMMENT: STRONG DEFENSE AT A DIFFICULT TIME
--------------
3. (C) The PM's full-throated defense of Indian policy in
the presence of Muslim leaders who have joined the Left Front
parties to defend Iran's behavior again demonstrates the
seriousness of the GOI's support for global nonproliferation.
Justifying the vote as being in India's interest should help
convince critics -- domestic and foreign -- that India's Iran
stance is genuine and permanent. The Prime Minister faced
considerable pressure to avoid comment, as his meeting with
the Muslim delegation comes in the middle of State elections
in India (in which Muslims are a critical vote bloc for his
party),just after a terrorist blast at Bukhari's Jama
Masjid, and in the context of domestic controversy over a
government recommendation to increase reserved slots in
educational institutions for minorities. In spite of the
good reasons to sidestep the touchy Iran issue, PM Singh once
again spoke up in a principled fashion to defend New Delhi's
position, reminding his critics that India's interests depend
on being on the right side on nonproliferation and in
limiting Iran's nuclear ambitions.
NEW DELHI 00002622 002.2 OF 002
4. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
BLAKE