FOREIGN SECRETARY MENON NONCOMMITTAL ON P5+1

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 001664 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/23/2018 TAGS: KNNP MNUC PARM IR IN SUBJECT: FOREIGN SECRETARY MENON NONCOMMITTAL ON P5+1 PACKAGE FOR IRAN REF: SECSTATE 64530 Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B and D) ¶1. (C) Foreign Secretary Shivshankar Menon was noncommittal in response to the Ambassador's spirited demarche on June 17 requesting that the government of India encourage Iran to accept the updated P5 1 incentive package (reftel). The Ambassador emphasized the broad scope of the incentives and their undeniable value for the people of Iran. He stressed the forward leaning nature of the package, including economic incentives that could, should Iran choose to accept the proposal, assist India's efforts to develop stronger economic ties with Iran. Menon welcomed the proposal and promised to study it, but shared his personal skepticism that Iran would accept any such proposal, saying "I doubt we've come to that stage yet." ¶2. (C) The Acting Deputy Chief of Mission also delivered the P5 1 demarche on June 17 to Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary for the Americas Gaitri Kumar, who promised to study the proposal. Poloffs also discussed Iran on June 17 with representatives of the UK High Commission, who said they had received instructions to raise the P5 1 (or, as they referred to it, the 'EU3 3') proposal with MEA,s Disarmament and International Security Division on June 18. Embassy will report on any further Indian response to the proposal. MULFORD