DELHI DIARY, MARCH 8-29

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 001509

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E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PGOV KIRF KNNP IR BT KZ
SUBJECT: DELHI DIARY, MARCH 8-29

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Classified By: PolCouns Ted Osius for Reasons 1.4 (B,D)


1. (U) Below is a compilation of Political highlights from
Embassy New Delhi for March 8-29, 2007 that did not feature
in our other reporting.

Former Iranian President Gets a Warm Reception in India
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2. (SBU) The mostly Indian audience at the India Today
annual "conclave" March 23 heavily applauded former Iranian
President Hujjat-ul-Islam Seyed Mohammad Khatami who said,
"There is no need to refer the Iranian nuclear program to the
UN Security Council. Without threat or use of power, we can
solve this problem in a peaceful manner." Responding to
questions from the audience, Khatami noted that Iran's oil
and gas reserves were diminishing, and stressed that Iran had
a "legitimate right" to a peaceful nuclear program. "We
can't rely on powers who have this fuel - they use it to
control us," Khatami told the crowd, many of whom Poloff
observed nodding in agreement. Khatami stressed that Iran
was concerned about the proliferation of nuclear arms and
stated that the Middle East should be a "nuclear free zone."
He declared that it was "unfortunate that the American way of
solving problems is unilateral," claiming that "using power
to solve the problem won't work," and adding that the
"sensitive" Middle East region was "unable to suffer another
crisis." He complained that the U. S. was "supporting
dictatorial regimes" in the region, and that it supported
other nuclear powers. "Negotiations don't require
pre-conditions," he underlined, "but only goodwill." When
asked if Iran and Pakistan were collaborating on the
production of nuclear weapons, he responded that Iran did not
have any special cooperation with any country. He said Iran
would take advantage of nuclear scientific technology from
others on a "legitimate scale." "I give you a guarantee that
(Iran's nuclear program) will never be a threat to any other
country, and Iran will never have nuclear weapons," he said,
reiterating that the Middle East should be a nuclear free
zone and that Iran was for a nuclear free world.


3. (U) Prime Minister Singh continued the warm reception for
former President Khatami during his lunchtime speech at the
same event. Praising Khatami as &a great citizen of the
world, a great leader of the Iranian people, and a great
friend of India,8 he said it was &a source of joy8 that
Khatami had been part of the event,s initial proceedings.
Singh quoted from a speech Khatami gave in September 2000, in
which Khatami said that dialogue among civilizations is a
means to &attain empathy and compassion.8 Singh added that
India, as a multi-cultural society, appreciated this kind of
dialogue more than anyone else.

Bhutan: Indian Paramilitary Sets up Camp on Bhutanese Border
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4. (C) The Sashrastra Seema Bal (SSB, an official Government
of India (GOI) paramilitary border force),that polices the

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Indo-Nepal/Bhutan border, is setting up 132 new security
posts on the Indo-Bhutanese border, to prevent ULFA (United
Liberation Front of Asom) insurgents and Maoists from
sneaking into the country, said Tilak Kak, Director General
of SSB, speaking to the Calcutta Telegraph. Kak told press
that 60 outposts are already in place, and the remainder
should be completed by March 2008. This is despite the fact
that GOI officials, such as Ministry of External Affairs
Director (North) Sudhakar Dalela, and official spokespersons
in statements to the Lok Sabha, continue to parrot the Royal
Government of Bhutan that there are no "specific reports8 of
ULFA cadres establishing camps inside Bhutan.

...and First Bhutanese Political Parties Formed
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5. (C) On March 24, the Bhutanese national newspaper
"Kuensel" reported the creation of the People's Democratic
Party (PDP) and the Bhutan People United Party, (BPUP)
without elaborating on their platforms. The PDP coordinator
quoted in the media did not give the name of the party chief,
who is a serving minister in the National Assembly, but said
that the party has retired government officials, businessmen
and community leaders as its members. The BPUP has members
including four serving Royal Advisory Councilors and 73
&chimis8 (people,s representative to the National
Assembly.) Under the new election law of Bhutan, civil
servants must resign before taking part in electoral
politics, or else be liable for disciplinary action. The
election commission has set July as the deadline for
registration of parties for the 2008 polls. "We expect at
least three credible political parties to come forward,"
chief election commissioner Dasho Kunzang Wangdi said.

Anti-Conversion Bill Signed Under the Guise of "Freedom of
Religion"
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6. (SBU) On February 19, the governor signed into law the
Himachal Pradesh Freedom of Religion Act. Despite its
misleading title, this is an anti-conversion bill identical
to what BJP governments have passed in Rajasthan and Gujarat.
A similar law was passed in Tamil Nadu before it was
repealed by ordinance. The Hindustan Times suggests that the
Himachal Congress Party, which faces elections next March, is
abandoning secularism and pandering to Hindu votes by
borrowing BJP policies. While, the Himachal Pradesh (HP)
bill is not new (see New Delhi 80),news about a letter from
Archbishop Concessao to Sonia Gandhi asking the Congress
party to intervene is a recent development. Gandhi, however,
has ignored the letter. As a result, Hindustan Times reports
that Indian Christians are beginning to feel doubly betrayed.
First, they feel disappointed by Congress, which usually
wraps itself in pious paeans to secularism. Second, they
feel additionally insecure by being ignored by Sonia Gandhi,
who was born Catholic in a Catholic country, and her failure
to respond or acknowledge the pleas of Indian Christians.
The Hindustan Times goes on to suggest what Congress critics

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have been saying for years ) that the party,s secularism is
a simply a cloak of convenience. Post will continue to
follow developments in HP closely.

Tibet: PolCouns Meets Rival Ascendant to Leader of Karma
Kagyu
--------------


7. (C) His Holiness the 17th Karmapa Trinley Thaye Dorje
expressed his gratitude for the USG's support for preserving
Tibetan culture and language in a March 13 meeting with
PolCouns at the Karmapa International Buddhist Institute in
Delhi. He said that the Government of India has been a
gracious and understanding host since his arrival from Nepal
in January 2000, and he resides very comfortably in
Kalimpong. The 17th Karmapa stated that he did not have much
hope to return to Tibet in his lifetime, but expressed
optimism that his people would be able to live in Tibet in
peace one day.


8. (C) The 17th Karmapa was born in occupied Tibet in 1983
and is the son of a prominent lama (father) and accomplished
doctor (mother). He was officially recognized as the 17th
incarnation of the Karmapa by the 14th Kunzig Shamarpa,
second highest lama in the Karma Kagyu lineage of Tibetan
Buddhism. His supporters trumpet him as the leader of the
Karma Kagyu sect. However, his ascendancy is mired in
controversy, as His Holiness the Dalai Lama purportedly
supports Urgyen Trinley Dorje as the Karma Kagyu sect's
rightful leader. In separate discussions with prominent
members of the Kashag, literally meaning "house of Lord's
order," of the Tibetan government-in-exile in Dharamsala, it
was noted that there was no communication between the Dalai
Lama and Karmapa Trinley Dorje, and he was not recognized by
the Dalai Lama's followers, who represent the Gelupa sect of
Tibetan Buddhism.

Indian-Kazakh Ties On the Rise
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9. (U) At a March 8 conference celebrating fifteen years of
India-Kazakhstan diplomatic relations, Kazakhstan,s
Ambassador to India, Kairat E. Umarov, expressed his
government,s support for an Indian seat in the UN Security
Council. Turning to economic matters, he noted that the $210
million in bilateral trade during 2006 was an increase of 76%
in 2005 and added that Kazakhstan wants a common energy
network and market throughout South and Central Asia to
increase &stability.8 Ministry of External Affairs Joint
Secretary (Eurasia) Jaimini Bhagwati said lack of money or

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conflicting schedules was to blame if India-Kazakhstan
relations seem inactive, not lack of will. &India does take
Kazakhstan seriously,8 he stated, faulting both insufficient
ground links and the small size of Kazakhstan,s population
as impediments to greater bilateral trade and investment.
While India desires stronger economic ties with Kazakhstan,
&the two must interact in a manner that is commercially
viable and sustainable,8 he cautioned. Bhagwati noted that

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defense ties were important, and that &things are happening
now and more will happen in the future.8 He did not wish to
"publicize" what those activities were, however. Borat
Sagdiev was not in attendance.
MULFORD