U.S.-INDIA CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION: INITIAL

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001751 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR EUR, SCA, AND ISN/NESS ENERGY FOR NNSA/NA-24 - SCHEINEMAN, GOOREVICH, AND KRUPA UNVIE PLEASE PASS TO RICHARD STRATFORD E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/17/2017 TAGS: ENRG KNNP KTIA PGOV PARM PREL IN GM SUBJECT: U.S.-INDIA CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION: INITIAL GERMAN REACTION TO NSG DRAFT POLICY EXCEPTION REF: STATE 129407 Classified By: Global Affairs Counselor Donald R. Shemanski for reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (SBU) Global Affairs officer delivered reftel demarche September 17 to MFA Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) Desk Officer Joerg Polster. Polster expressed appreciation for the opportunity to offer German views on the U.S. draft text but expressed doubt that Germany's interagency working group would be able to prepare a formal response by the October 1 deadline. ¶2. (C) Polster said he expected German nonproliferation and disarmament experts -- many of whom oppose civil nuclear cooperation with India -- would react strongly to provisions in para 3(a) of the draft text that leave it up to Participating Governments (PGs) to decide whether India is meeting the commitments referenced in para 2 of the draft text. Polster speculated that German nonproliferation experts would prefer binding guidelines that call for immediate suspension of cooperation in the event India conducts a nuclear test. Noting the importance of perception, Polster anticipated German nonproliferation experts would argue that the lack of clear, binding guidelines might serve to undermine the NSG, which is based on PGs' adherence to politically binding -- but not legally binding -- commitments. ¶3. (C) Polster reiterated that Germany will not block U.S. efforts to achieve consensus in the NSG, but stressed the importance of convincing opponents and skeptics within the coalition government and the Bundestag that civil nuclear cooperation with India will strengthen, not weaken, the international nonproliferation regime. Polster undertook to share the draft text with nonproliferation experts, regional specialists, and interested parties in the MFA and other German ministries and to provide a more formal response on or around the October 1 deadline. ¶4. (U) Post will report any subsequent German response septel. TIMKEN JR