Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06NEWDELHI6511
2006-09-19 05:56:00
SECRET
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
INDIAN PUBLIC RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO
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S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006511
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PK IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN PUBLIC RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO
SINGH-MUSHARRAF MEETING
NEW DELHI 00006511 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Amb. David Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
(C)
S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006511
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PK IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN PUBLIC RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO
SINGH-MUSHARRAF MEETING
NEW DELHI 00006511 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Amb. David Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
(C) 1. Summary: PM Singh's September 16th meeting with
President Musharraf was greeted with a positive spin from the
Indian press -- giving him the honeymoon needed to answer
hardliners in his own party and move talks forward. Indian
commentators say that he has laid the groundwork necessary to
revive talks on Siachen, overcoming some of the roadblocks
put up by the Indian Army. That said, opposition leaders may
be able to rally in the coming days around criticism of PM
Singh's efforts to take some of the focus off of Pakistan on
terrorism issues. PM Singh's efforts are likely to hinge on
Pakistan's ability to stave off new attacks and bring
something concrete to the new joint consultative mechanism
agreed to in principle in Havana on terrorism. End Summary.
Positive Spin
--------------
(C) 2. The Indian press is filled with positive reports
about Prime Minister Singh's meeting with Pakistani President
Musharraf in Havana last weekend. Press reports billed
India's willingness to set up a counter-terrorism joint
consultative mechanism with Pakistan as acceptance that
"terrorism in South Asia is a complex phenomenon, rather than
a mere product of ISI machinations." For Indian observers,
Singh's ability to restart the composite dialogue, while
bringing along hardliner National Security Advisor NK
Narayanan, has been billed as a breakthrough in talks.
Foreign Secretary-designate Shiv Shankar Menon's immediate
addition as a negotiator is also seen as a significant move
for PM Singh, ensuring that the Prime Minister will have an
ally in the MEA who shares his interest in pushing talks
forward.
Terrorism Committee to Placate Critics
--------------
(S) 3. Hindustan Times Foreign Editor Pramit Pal Chaudhuri,
known for his inside perspective in the Prime Minister's
office, commented that the joint consultative mechanism on
terrorism is unlikely to be much more than a token committee
"with heads of India's Research and Analysis Wing and
Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate sitting
and staring at one another suspiciously and getting nothing
accomplished." That said, he noted that the mechanism allows
the Prime Minister to answer to his critics by adding a
formal piece to the composite dialogue process that
specifically addresses terrorism. This allows Singh to
revive stalled talks over Siachen and Sir Creek, which
Chaudhuri further commented were very close to resolution.
Opposition Growing
--------------
(S) 4. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President
Rajnath Singh held an unusual Sunday conference on September
17th, calling for "double caution" in talks with Pakistan and
accusing Singh of giving the impression that the GOI had
forgotten the terror victims in Mumbai. Hindustan Times
Foreign Editor Chaudhuri further said one BJP official had
threatened in an email to hold a sarcastic candle light vigil
for Pakistan in response to PM Singh's statement that
NEW DELHI 00006511 002.2 OF 002
"Pakistan too suffers from terrorism." Chaudhuri also said
B. Raman, a former RAW officer who led the agency's Pakistan
desk and often represents the hardline in India's
intelligence community, was "all over the internet"
condemning the meeting. Chaudhuri further commented that
despite the Prime Minister's greatest efforts, agreements on
Siachen and Sir Creek would be "dead" if there was another
major attack on Indian soil in the next year.
(S) 5. Comment: PM Singh has once again put his reputation
on the line to push forward with peace talks with Pakistan.
Thus far there is public and private support for Singh's
actions, but there is a low margin for failure if Pakistan
does not come through with concrete efforts against
terrorism. PM Singh's meeting with Musharraf also drew
attention away from the fact that he was at a meeting with
leaders of Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela. The Prime
Minister and other members of India's delegation to the
Non-Alligned Movement meeting are scheduled to return to New
Delhi on September 19th. Post will follow up with Indian
officials in the coming days to monitor their reactions to
the Singh-Musharraf meeting.
MULFORD
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/25/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR PBTS MOPS KDEM KISL PK IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN PUBLIC RESPONDING POSITIVELY TO
SINGH-MUSHARRAF MEETING
NEW DELHI 00006511 001.2 OF 002
Classified By: Amb. David Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
(C) 1. Summary: PM Singh's September 16th meeting with
President Musharraf was greeted with a positive spin from the
Indian press -- giving him the honeymoon needed to answer
hardliners in his own party and move talks forward. Indian
commentators say that he has laid the groundwork necessary to
revive talks on Siachen, overcoming some of the roadblocks
put up by the Indian Army. That said, opposition leaders may
be able to rally in the coming days around criticism of PM
Singh's efforts to take some of the focus off of Pakistan on
terrorism issues. PM Singh's efforts are likely to hinge on
Pakistan's ability to stave off new attacks and bring
something concrete to the new joint consultative mechanism
agreed to in principle in Havana on terrorism. End Summary.
Positive Spin
--------------
(C) 2. The Indian press is filled with positive reports
about Prime Minister Singh's meeting with Pakistani President
Musharraf in Havana last weekend. Press reports billed
India's willingness to set up a counter-terrorism joint
consultative mechanism with Pakistan as acceptance that
"terrorism in South Asia is a complex phenomenon, rather than
a mere product of ISI machinations." For Indian observers,
Singh's ability to restart the composite dialogue, while
bringing along hardliner National Security Advisor NK
Narayanan, has been billed as a breakthrough in talks.
Foreign Secretary-designate Shiv Shankar Menon's immediate
addition as a negotiator is also seen as a significant move
for PM Singh, ensuring that the Prime Minister will have an
ally in the MEA who shares his interest in pushing talks
forward.
Terrorism Committee to Placate Critics
--------------
(S) 3. Hindustan Times Foreign Editor Pramit Pal Chaudhuri,
known for his inside perspective in the Prime Minister's
office, commented that the joint consultative mechanism on
terrorism is unlikely to be much more than a token committee
"with heads of India's Research and Analysis Wing and
Pakistan's Inter-Services Intelligence Directorate sitting
and staring at one another suspiciously and getting nothing
accomplished." That said, he noted that the mechanism allows
the Prime Minister to answer to his critics by adding a
formal piece to the composite dialogue process that
specifically addresses terrorism. This allows Singh to
revive stalled talks over Siachen and Sir Creek, which
Chaudhuri further commented were very close to resolution.
Opposition Growing
--------------
(S) 4. Opposition Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) President
Rajnath Singh held an unusual Sunday conference on September
17th, calling for "double caution" in talks with Pakistan and
accusing Singh of giving the impression that the GOI had
forgotten the terror victims in Mumbai. Hindustan Times
Foreign Editor Chaudhuri further said one BJP official had
threatened in an email to hold a sarcastic candle light vigil
for Pakistan in response to PM Singh's statement that
NEW DELHI 00006511 002.2 OF 002
"Pakistan too suffers from terrorism." Chaudhuri also said
B. Raman, a former RAW officer who led the agency's Pakistan
desk and often represents the hardline in India's
intelligence community, was "all over the internet"
condemning the meeting. Chaudhuri further commented that
despite the Prime Minister's greatest efforts, agreements on
Siachen and Sir Creek would be "dead" if there was another
major attack on Indian soil in the next year.
(S) 5. Comment: PM Singh has once again put his reputation
on the line to push forward with peace talks with Pakistan.
Thus far there is public and private support for Singh's
actions, but there is a low margin for failure if Pakistan
does not come through with concrete efforts against
terrorism. PM Singh's meeting with Musharraf also drew
attention away from the fact that he was at a meeting with
leaders of Cuba, North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela. The Prime
Minister and other members of India's delegation to the
Non-Alligned Movement meeting are scheduled to return to New
Delhi on September 19th. Post will follow up with Indian
officials in the coming days to monitor their reactions to
the Singh-Musharraf meeting.
MULFORD