READOUT ON FRANCE-INDIA SECURITY TALKS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006568 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/25/2026 TAGS: AF FR IN IR KNNP LE MNUC PA PARM PGOV PINR PREL, GE SUBJECT: READOUT ON FRANCE-INDIA SECURITY TALKS NEW DELHI 00006568 001.4 OF 002 Classified By: PolCouns Ted Osius for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: During visits to France in early September by Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee and National Security Advisor Narayanan, Indian officials confided that they are concerned about the deteriorating situation in Afghanistan. On Middle East issues, France and India agreed that the GOI is a potentially good intermediary between the West and Iran. Narayanan said that relations with Pakistan were still stalled as of early September, but the French feel he hasn't done much to help the situation. Other topics of Mukherjee's meeting with French Defense Minister Michele Alliot-Marie included UNIFIL, civil nuclear energy, and the Indo-French defense relationship. END SUMMARY. -------------- Concerns Over Afghanistan -------------- ¶2. (C) In a September 15 meeting, Gilles Bourbao of the French embassy told PolOff that NSA M.K. Narayanan had a short audience with President Chirac and spoke at length with French diplomats. He confided that India is extremely concerned about the continuing deterioration in Afghanistan. The effect of the illicit drug trade and the fact that the Taliban are still controlling parts of Afghanistan are causing anxiety in New Delhi, though Narayanan did not offer any immediate solutions or new ideas to tackle the problem. -------------- India As Mediator -------------- ¶3. (C) On the subject of Iran's defiance of the IAEA, Narayanan offered that India could be a reasonable intermediary between the West and Iran. France is open to the concept, according to Bourbao, who said that India would be a "decent," if not ideal, mediator. -------------- Narayanan Impeding Progress With Pakistan? -------------- ¶4. (C) Prior to the Havana NAM Summit (and the Singh-Musharraf meeting on the sidelines),Narayanan lamented stalled relations between India and Pakistan. Narayanan was negative on the prospects for progress with Pakistan, Bourbao said, and added that the French assess that Narayanan himself is an obstacle to the lack of progress with Pakistan. Calling him "more a policeman than a diplomat," Bourbao said that, more than PM Singh or anyone else in the GOI, the French see Narayanan as an "impediment" to progress . -------------- Peacekeeping in Lebanon -------------- ¶5. (C) On the issue of UNIFIL, Mukherjee reiterated to Alliot-Marie that India wants its troops to be strictly "peacekeeping" versus "peace-enforcing" under a Chapter VI mandate only, and that they won't take part in any disarmament of Hizbollah. India did not offer whether or not it would keep its current troops in Lebanon, nor for how long. -------------- Arms Sales and Civil Nuclear Agreement -------------- ¶6. (C) Both Narayanan and Mukherjee were positive on the civil nuclear agreement with the U.S. and expressed anxiety about its passage. The French also support the deal and eagerly await the U.S. Congress' stamp of approval. While not giving specific details about potential defense sales discussed with India, Bourbao indicated that the Indo-French strategic partnership had been topics of discussion with both Mukherjee and Narayanan, and that French leaders advocated on behalf of Airbus and Dassault. ¶7. (C) While on the subject of the Indo-U.S. civil nuclear NEW DELHI 00006568 002.2 OF 002 deal, Bourbao intimated that in a recent conversation between President Chirac and Chancellor Merkel, the Germans appeared to have a more positive attitude on the civilian-nuclear deal than they have in the past. France continues to urge Germany to support it. MULFORD