Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI6298
2006-09-08 13:38:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
INDIA'S ROLE IN NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT:
how-toVZCZCXRO5174 OO RUEHBC RUEHDBU RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHLH RUEHPW DE RUEHNE #6298/01 2511338 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 081338Z SEP 06 FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8476 INFO RUCNIRA/IRAN COLLECTIVE RUCNISL/ISLAMIC COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3687 RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7060 RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 7068 RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0125 RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 3345 RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7774 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1377 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 9899 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3817 RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 6249 RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 6338 RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 5370 RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 2982 RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5523 RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 3620 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/CDR USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2280 RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 4583 RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RHMFISS/HQ USSOCOM MACDILL AFB FL RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006298
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR ECON ECIN IN
SUBJECT: INDIA'S ROLE IN NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT:
TRANSFORMATION OR DISTANCE?
REF: NEW DELHI 006256
NEW DELHI 00006298 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Osius Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006298
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR ECON ECIN IN
SUBJECT: INDIA'S ROLE IN NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT:
TRANSFORMATION OR DISTANCE?
REF: NEW DELHI 006256
NEW DELHI 00006298 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Osius Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: India may attempt to transform its role to
that of a "bridge power" between the developed North and the
impoverished South during the upcoming NAM Summit in Havana.
In the context of considerable public and internal GOI debate
about the utility of NAM and India's proper place in the
organization, the GOI appears set to direct its NAM efforts
on playing a more guiding role economic role with its lesser
developed NAM partners by focusing on preferential trade,
knowledge exchange, and other programs. However, some other
embassy contacts claim that PM Singh is going to the Summit
(under pressure from his left flank) as a silent pallbearer
at the funeral of an organization that has outlived its
usefulness and failed to adapt to current global realities.
They contend that the PM will use the forum to remind the
world that Indian foreign policy is driven by national
interest and reassure the NAM that no country will dominate
Indian foreign policy. The GOI will also serve, they assert,
as a moderate, rational voice to encourage the NAM to
transform to a more mainstream global organization. END
SUMMARY
-------------- PM's Special Committee on NAM advocates "Bridge Power
Role" --------------
2. (C) In preparation for Prime Minister Singh and newly
appointed Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon's attendance
at the NAM Summit in Havana, the PM formed a special
committee of political centrists and professional bureaucrats
to prepare a platform. They reportedly advocate India
flexing its new economic and political muscles and asserting
itself as a "bridge power" in NAM. The committee is pressing
for India to use its expanding relationships with developed
countries to influence "Northern" policies to the benefit of
NAM members. It also envisions a program in which India
takes more initiative with the NAM countries and discusses
unilateral preferential trade programs, cultural and
developmental exchanges favorable to its less developed NAM
partners, and asserts it leadership as "the big boy at the
table".
-------------- What have you done for me lately? --------------
3. (C) Segments of the media, public, and think tankers are
dubious of the utility of NAM for India. At a recent
conference in Delhi(see reftel),"The XIV NAM Summit in
Havana and the Future of the Non-Aligned Movement", the
Indian attendees consistently minimized the importance of NAM
when questioning the featured speaker, Cuban Ambassador Juan
Carretero. They derided the movement as "an entity of
hibernation devoid of leadership" for NAM's failure to join
the mainstream of the globalized economy and accused NAM of
being "unable to reinvent itself to effect change in the UN".
The September 7 issue of the "Asian Age", went so far as to
headline a story with "NAM is dead", arguing that the group
is "antiquated", "lacks influence", and "is counter to
India's primary interests."
-------------- A chance to break the mold? --------------
NEW DELHI 00006298 002.2 OF 002
4. (C) COMMENT: We believe that the GOI will take a fluid
approach to the NAM Summit. The PM's constituency on the
left is appeased by the level of the delegation, while the
Indian political center begrudgingly realizes that economics
rule the day and prefers that the PM lay the groundwork for a
NAM focusing on economic reality-based rapprochement with the
North instead of an America-bashing agenda. Therefore, the
PM may have a freer hand to influence positions on NAM
issues. If it becomes apparent during the summit that his
economy-driven, transformation to global realities agenda for
NAM is failing, he may choose the summit as a propitious
moment to signal quietly the beginning of the end for Indian
leadership in NAM while continuing in the future to pay it
lip service. Embassy contacts insist that the PM will
deliver a foreign policy speech of major import and urged us
to read carefully between the lines. However, we have heard
that before without anything coming to fruition. Post will
continue to follow the NAM Summit closely and report
accordingly. END COMMENT
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/08/2026
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR ECON ECIN IN
SUBJECT: INDIA'S ROLE IN NON-ALIGNED MOVEMENT:
TRANSFORMATION OR DISTANCE?
REF: NEW DELHI 006256
NEW DELHI 00006298 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Political Counselor Ted Osius Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: India may attempt to transform its role to
that of a "bridge power" between the developed North and the
impoverished South during the upcoming NAM Summit in Havana.
In the context of considerable public and internal GOI debate
about the utility of NAM and India's proper place in the
organization, the GOI appears set to direct its NAM efforts
on playing a more guiding role economic role with its lesser
developed NAM partners by focusing on preferential trade,
knowledge exchange, and other programs. However, some other
embassy contacts claim that PM Singh is going to the Summit
(under pressure from his left flank) as a silent pallbearer
at the funeral of an organization that has outlived its
usefulness and failed to adapt to current global realities.
They contend that the PM will use the forum to remind the
world that Indian foreign policy is driven by national
interest and reassure the NAM that no country will dominate
Indian foreign policy. The GOI will also serve, they assert,
as a moderate, rational voice to encourage the NAM to
transform to a more mainstream global organization. END
SUMMARY
-------------- PM's Special Committee on NAM advocates "Bridge Power
Role" --------------
2. (C) In preparation for Prime Minister Singh and newly
appointed Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon's attendance
at the NAM Summit in Havana, the PM formed a special
committee of political centrists and professional bureaucrats
to prepare a platform. They reportedly advocate India
flexing its new economic and political muscles and asserting
itself as a "bridge power" in NAM. The committee is pressing
for India to use its expanding relationships with developed
countries to influence "Northern" policies to the benefit of
NAM members. It also envisions a program in which India
takes more initiative with the NAM countries and discusses
unilateral preferential trade programs, cultural and
developmental exchanges favorable to its less developed NAM
partners, and asserts it leadership as "the big boy at the
table".
-------------- What have you done for me lately? --------------
3. (C) Segments of the media, public, and think tankers are
dubious of the utility of NAM for India. At a recent
conference in Delhi(see reftel),"The XIV NAM Summit in
Havana and the Future of the Non-Aligned Movement", the
Indian attendees consistently minimized the importance of NAM
when questioning the featured speaker, Cuban Ambassador Juan
Carretero. They derided the movement as "an entity of
hibernation devoid of leadership" for NAM's failure to join
the mainstream of the globalized economy and accused NAM of
being "unable to reinvent itself to effect change in the UN".
The September 7 issue of the "Asian Age", went so far as to
headline a story with "NAM is dead", arguing that the group
is "antiquated", "lacks influence", and "is counter to
India's primary interests."
-------------- A chance to break the mold? --------------
NEW DELHI 00006298 002.2 OF 002
4. (C) COMMENT: We believe that the GOI will take a fluid
approach to the NAM Summit. The PM's constituency on the
left is appeased by the level of the delegation, while the
Indian political center begrudgingly realizes that economics
rule the day and prefers that the PM lay the groundwork for a
NAM focusing on economic reality-based rapprochement with the
North instead of an America-bashing agenda. Therefore, the
PM may have a freer hand to influence positions on NAM
issues. If it becomes apparent during the summit that his
economy-driven, transformation to global realities agenda for
NAM is failing, he may choose the summit as a propitious
moment to signal quietly the beginning of the end for Indian
leadership in NAM while continuing in the future to pay it
lip service. Embassy contacts insist that the PM will
deliver a foreign policy speech of major import and urged us
to read carefully between the lines. However, we have heard
that before without anything coming to fruition. Post will
continue to follow the NAM Summit closely and report
accordingly. END COMMENT
MULFORD