INDIA-EU SUMMIT PREVIEW (CANCEL THIS TELEGRAM)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002589 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/26/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL KNNP ETRD ENRG EAIR PHUM SENV TRGY TSPA, FR, IN SUBJECT: INDIA-EU SUMMIT PREVIEW (CANCEL THIS TELEGRAM) NEW DELHI 00002589 001.4 OF 003 Classified By: Deputy Political Counselor Les Viguerie for reasons 1.4 (B and D). PLEASE CANCEL THIS TELEGRAM PER DRAFTER - WILL BE RESENT UNDER NEW MRN/MCNS NEW DELHI 00002589 002.2 OF 003 to specific conditions that require a state guarantee on it. Joint Action Plan -------------- ¶5. (C) According to Bazard, a revised India-EU Joint Action Plan (JAP) is up for discussion at the September summit. Bazard says it is shortened and includes a retrospective on India-EU progress and a list of practical working points. Manet told PolOff that no major changes are expected in the JAP and the retrospective, or "balance sheet," will reflect "very good progress over the last five years of cooperation." Manet noted the working points will cover over 40 sub sectors of cooperation including peace building, terrorism, energy, clean coal, food security and human rights. Manet said the EU is mostly happy with the JAP but needs it to provide a firmer legal framework. The JAP is an EC document, he said, but about half of the projects it covers are EU issues. This causes difficulty for member states in implementing programs and projects. Manet added that when significant changes are eventually made to the JAP, the EU will likely push for long term commitments from India on issues like terrorism and human rights, similar to commitments made by other countries entering into similar agreements with the EU. India is resistant to these commitments, he said. Professor (European Studies) Umma Bava of Jawaharlal Nehru University told PolOff that the JAP "is a large wish list, and by having it so large, it allows you to fine tune specific goals under the main points." She characterized EU goals with India as situated within a larger EU-Asia strategy that is not entirely clear. On the economy, she said India and the EU work together very well, but in other areas the EU strategy is "like an orchestra out of synch. They all appear to be on the same page, but playing different lines." For this reason, she said, India's long relationship with the EU still has not overtaken India's bilateral relationships with member countries where, she indicated, it is often easier to get results. Political Discussions -------------- ¶6. (C) Bazard felt that "the most important thing is for the heads of state to have political discussions over international issues, regional issues, and terrorism." The summit will include several "regional issues" discussions organized by the EU presidency to cover Burma, Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran. These meetings will be very tightly restricted, said Manet, with only the leaders of delegations attending. He pointed out that this has caused some consternation among bureaucrats in the GOI delegation, who will see Singh and Mukherjee go behind closed doors to negotiate. He added that the GOI appears to be willing to cooperate more on terrorism, especially with Europol. Bazard noted that negotiating India's status with Europol is difficult at the moment because Europol is restructuring. Bazard said that the EU has decided not to issue a Joint Statement, preferring a press communiqu in which it intends to briefly cover summit discussion over Pakistan, Iran, Burma, and terrorism. Regarding Burma, Manet said the EU is not confident of getting much cooperation from India, adding that the press communiqu will probably not even use the word "democracy" in the Burma section, instead calling for "consensual government" or something to that bland effect. Bilateral meetings with France -------------- ¶7. (C) Bazard told PolOff that the nuclear agreement would be at the heart of France's bilateral talks with India, and said France hopes to sign the nuclear agreement during the summit (NOTE: as Post has reported several times, this agreement will not be operational until India signs its IAEA Safeguards Agreement. Conversations with Indian officials indicate that the GOI will not finalize the IAEA Safeguards Agreement until after congressional approval of the 123 Act. END NOTE). France also intends to discuss global issues, defense cooperation, food security, climate change, and the global economy. A new bilateral business forum, replacing an outdated format, will be announced. Other potential deliverables from the bilats are agreements on cooperation on outer space and a social security agreement. A visa exemption program is also in the works but will probably not be ready at the summit. France also hopes to establish a bilateral working group on the environment, with an emphasis NEW DELHI 00002589 003.4 OF 003 PLEASE CANCEL THIS TELEGRAM PER DRAFTER - WILL BE RESENT UNDER NEW MRN/MCNS. DAVISON