DENMARK ON NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP DRAFT EXCEPTION

C O N F I D E N T I A L COPENHAGEN 000435

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/12/2018
TAGS: PARM PREL ETTC AORC
SUBJECT: DENMARK ON NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP DRAFT EXCEPTION
TEXT FOR INDIA

REF: SECSTATE 85948

Classified By: Ambassador James P. Cain, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary. MFA Permanent Under Secretary Michael
Zilmer-Johns told Ambassador Cain August 12 that Denmark's
"end goal is to support and participate in a positive
decision in the Nuclear Suppliers Group." However, Denmark
must first navigate what could be tricky domestic
cross-currents that combine a traditional skepticism of
nuclear power with strong anti-proliferation instincts.
Zilmer-Johns also cautioned that the Danes may have a timing
problem, since the Danes will only first be able to seek
parliamentary approval of any deal in early September. End
Summary.


2. (C) Ambassador Cain called on Danish MFA Permanent Under
Secretary Michael Zilmer-Johns August 12 to encourage
Denmark's support of ref draft exception text for India in
the Nuclear Suppliers Group. The Ambassador reminded
Zilmer-Johns that President Bush had discussed the U.S.-India
Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative with Danish Prime
Minister Rasmussen during PM Rasmussen's visit to Crawford in
June. Gaining international agreement and support for the
Initiative was vital to keeping India on a positive path of
civilian nuclear cooperation and would strengthen
international non-proliferation efforts, Ambassador Cain
explained. The IAEA Board of Governors had also signaled its
support for the Initiative in recently approving India's
safeguards agreement with the IAEA. The U.S. was therefore
hoping for Denmark's help in obtaining strong,
non-conditional support for the draft exception text to be
discussed at the upcoming Nuclear Suppliers Group meeting in
Vienna August 21-22.


3. (C) Zilmer-Johns recalled the Crawford discussions and
added that PM Rasmussen had also discussed the U.S.-India
Civil Nuclear Cooperation Initiative directly with the Indian
Prime Minister during a visit to New Delhi late last year.
Denmark was "acutely aware" of the Initiative's importance.
Zilmer-Johns continued that the proposed agreement, however,
was not without controversy among some domestic Danish
audiences. Denmark has traditionally taken a very tough line
on compliance with international non-proliferation regimes,
and Zilmer-Johns noted that Denmark still felt India needed
to take additional steps to demonstrate that the proposed
Initiative would not undermine existing regimes.
Zilmer-Johns stressed, however, that Denmark saw the
"long-term strategic perspective" of obtaining India's
cooperation on civilian nuclear energy, and the U.S.-India
Initiative was a "logical" vehicle for doing so.


4. (C) Zilmer-Johns continued that Denmark's decision making
would also be complicated by a strong domestic anti-nuclear
energy lobby. The Danish Government would thus have to work
hard for approval of any Danish endorsement of a NSG
exception text for India that would pave the way for a
U.S.-India deal. Zilmer-Johns said Danish Foreign Minister
Per Stig Moeller had already briefed the Danish Parliament's
Foreign Policy Committee on the broad outlines of the
U.S.-India deal. The Danish Government needs only a majority
vote in parliament to support an agreement, though the
government would prefer to have the largest opposition party,
the Social Democrats, also on board. Moeller plans to return
to the Foreign Policy Committee after the August 21-22 NSG
meeting, but his first opportunity to do so will be only on
September 4, which could conflict with the Danes reaching a
timely decision, Zilmer-Johns cautioned. Still, Denmark
"will not be a spoiler," Zilmer-Johns assured the Ambassador.



5. (C) Zilmer-Johns concluded by telling Ambassador Cain he
was "relatively optimistic" that Denmark would be helpful,
but that the Danish Government first "has work to do at
home." Ambassador Cain stressed that the USG was ready to
offer any assistance it could in helping the Danish
Government make its case to domestic audiences. Zilmer-Johns
said that the USG could "count on Denmark to be constructive"
and that Copenhagen's "end goal is to support and participate
in positive decision in the NSG."
CAIN