Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI317
2006-01-17 14:04:00
SECRET
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
GOI PREFERS BILATERAL GOVERNMENT MECHANISM ON
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000317
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL CBW ETTC MTCRE IR IN
SUBJECT: GOI PREFERS BILATERAL GOVERNMENT MECHANISM ON
PROLIFERATION CASES
REF: A. STATE 2371
B. 05 MUMBAI 2418
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000317
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL CBW ETTC MTCRE IR IN
SUBJECT: GOI PREFERS BILATERAL GOVERNMENT MECHANISM ON
PROLIFERATION CASES
REF: A. STATE 2371
B. 05 MUMBAI 2418
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (S) Summary: MEA Joint Secretary (Disarmament and
International Security) Hamid Ali Rao told PolCouns on
January 17 that the GOI is uncomfortable with the direct
communication between our Consulate in Mumbai and the Sabero
company, and requested that we instead use a bilateral
government mechanism to work through these sanctions. Rao
was thankful for the Embassy's engagement on the Sabero case
(Refs A and B),but repeated the claim that the sanctions are
unjustified and the complaint that the GOI needs additional
information on end users in Iran to support its legal action.
He assured PolCouns that India's new non-proliferation laws
would catch any possible future cases of potential
proliferation. End Summary.
All Communication Through GOI
--------------
2. (S) In a January 17 meeting, MEA Joint Secretary for
Disarmament and International Security Hamid Ali Rao told
PolCouns that the direct communication between our Consulate
in Mumbai and the Sabero company could "jeopardize the
government's regular non-proliferation procedures." He
suggested that since Sabero is cooperating with the GOI, "all
exchanges of information should be done through the existing
bilateral government mechanism" instead of the current
dialogue between ConGen Mumbai and Sabero. PolCouns agreed
to relay this message and asked Rao for further clarification
on the best way forward. In a subsequent conversation, J/S
Jaishankar clarified that MEA is uncomfortable with our
"tactics" in the case but agrees with the objective of
identifying a mechanism to allow a legal review of the Sabero
case.
Request to Lift Unjustified Sanctions
--------------
3. (S) Rao commented that the Sabero company is cooperating
and has agreed to suspend any further shipments, but in the
GOI's view, has not committed any violation of India's export
control laws. Therefore, he characterized the actions
against the company as "unjustified" and asked for further
USG assistance in lifting the sanctions. Rao predicted that
India's new non-proliferation law would catch any future
cases of this kind. He also repeated his request for further
information on the end users in Iran.
Comment: Same Objective, but Less Effective
--------------
4. (S) This request for bilateral government communication
on a unilateral sanction against a company is the GOI's way
of staying in the loop on these cases. Although this is a
less effective way of getting information, Joint Secretary
(Americas) S. Jaishankar stressed that New Delhi is committed
to making sure that the Sabero company is not engaged in any
illegal transactions and working with the USG to eventually
lift the sanctions. In addition to the added complication of
requesting all information about a sanctioned company through
the government bureaucracy, it will also likely become a
NEW DELHI 00000317 002 OF 002
cumbersome template for working through all future sanctions
against Indian companies. However it does serve to
de-conflict/harmonize our messages with the GOI.
5. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/17/2016
TAGS: PARM PREL CBW ETTC MTCRE IR IN
SUBJECT: GOI PREFERS BILATERAL GOVERNMENT MECHANISM ON
PROLIFERATION CASES
REF: A. STATE 2371
B. 05 MUMBAI 2418
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (S) Summary: MEA Joint Secretary (Disarmament and
International Security) Hamid Ali Rao told PolCouns on
January 17 that the GOI is uncomfortable with the direct
communication between our Consulate in Mumbai and the Sabero
company, and requested that we instead use a bilateral
government mechanism to work through these sanctions. Rao
was thankful for the Embassy's engagement on the Sabero case
(Refs A and B),but repeated the claim that the sanctions are
unjustified and the complaint that the GOI needs additional
information on end users in Iran to support its legal action.
He assured PolCouns that India's new non-proliferation laws
would catch any possible future cases of potential
proliferation. End Summary.
All Communication Through GOI
--------------
2. (S) In a January 17 meeting, MEA Joint Secretary for
Disarmament and International Security Hamid Ali Rao told
PolCouns that the direct communication between our Consulate
in Mumbai and the Sabero company could "jeopardize the
government's regular non-proliferation procedures." He
suggested that since Sabero is cooperating with the GOI, "all
exchanges of information should be done through the existing
bilateral government mechanism" instead of the current
dialogue between ConGen Mumbai and Sabero. PolCouns agreed
to relay this message and asked Rao for further clarification
on the best way forward. In a subsequent conversation, J/S
Jaishankar clarified that MEA is uncomfortable with our
"tactics" in the case but agrees with the objective of
identifying a mechanism to allow a legal review of the Sabero
case.
Request to Lift Unjustified Sanctions
--------------
3. (S) Rao commented that the Sabero company is cooperating
and has agreed to suspend any further shipments, but in the
GOI's view, has not committed any violation of India's export
control laws. Therefore, he characterized the actions
against the company as "unjustified" and asked for further
USG assistance in lifting the sanctions. Rao predicted that
India's new non-proliferation law would catch any future
cases of this kind. He also repeated his request for further
information on the end users in Iran.
Comment: Same Objective, but Less Effective
--------------
4. (S) This request for bilateral government communication
on a unilateral sanction against a company is the GOI's way
of staying in the loop on these cases. Although this is a
less effective way of getting information, Joint Secretary
(Americas) S. Jaishankar stressed that New Delhi is committed
to making sure that the Sabero company is not engaged in any
illegal transactions and working with the USG to eventually
lift the sanctions. In addition to the added complication of
requesting all information about a sanctioned company through
the government bureaucracy, it will also likely become a
NEW DELHI 00000317 002 OF 002
cumbersome template for working through all future sanctions
against Indian companies. However it does serve to
de-conflict/harmonize our messages with the GOI.
5. (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website:
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/)
MULFORD