GOI Leaders' Statements on Pakistan and Terrorism, December

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003236

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR D, SCA
ISLAMABAD FOR AMB PATTERSON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PK IN
SUBJECT: GOI Leaders' Statements on Pakistan and Terrorism, December
21-23


1. (SBU) Mission reports below statements made by the Indian
Foreign Minister, the Indian Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister
and President of the ruling United Progressive Alliance government
over the last three days on Pakistan and terrorism. Despite the
often heated headlines in both India and Pakistan relating to these
statements, we note that the remarks are quite restrained and
measured, given the immense public pressure on these Indian leaders
to produce results. We do not see anything in these remarks that
suggests inflammatory warmongering rhetoric.

Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee
--------------


2. (U) On December 22, Mukherjee addressed 122 Indian chiefs of
mission in Delhi at a meeting that had been scheduled before the
Mumbai attacks. The meeting had previously been planned for August
22 but was cancelled because of a Nuclear Supplier Group meeting on
August 24 which was to consider a waiver for the U.S.-India Civil
Nuclear Agreement. In his speech to the Indian diplomats, Mukherjee
covered the entire spectrum of Indian foreign affairs engagement -
its context, achievements and challenges.


3. (U) In speaking about foreign relations with neighbors and the
Mumbai attacks, Mukherjee said: "In our neighborhood we have
continued with our efforts to deepen engagement, either bilaterally
or multilaterally and even by assuming a built-in asymmetry in
responsibilities. An objective assessment shows that this policy has
yielded results except with Pakistan. The recent terrorist attack on
Mumbai was unprecedented both in terms of its scale and audacity.
This and the series terrorist incidents preceding it including the
attack on our embassy in Kabul, where we lost our colleagues
indicate that terrorism emanating out of Pakistan is acquiring an
increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and
stability in this region and beyond."


4. (U) In his 2032 word speech, Mukherjee devoted the following 280
words to Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks:

-- "We have so far worked at several levels. At the international
level we have sought the support of the international community to
put pressure on Pakistan to deal effectively with the terrorism. We
have highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan
has to be dismantled permanently. We are not saying this just
because we are affected but because we believe that it will be good
for the entire world and also for Pakistani people and society. This
terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan is the greatest terrorist
danger to peace and security of the entire civilized world. There
has been some effort s far by the international community but this
is not enough. Much more needs to be done and the actions should be
pursued to their logical conclusion. We need effective steps not
only to bring those responsile for the Mumbai attacks to justice,
but also to ensure that such acts of terrorism do not recur."

-- "Unfortunately Pakistan's response so far has demonstrated their
earlier tendency to resort to a policy of denial and to seek to
deflect and shift the blame and responsibility. We expect civilian
Government of Pakistan to take effective steps to deal with elements
within Pakistan who still continue the use of terrorism as an
instrument of state policy. We have so far acted with utmost
restraint and are hopeful that international community will use its
influence to urge Pakistani Government to take effective action.
While we continue to persuade the international community and
Pakistan we are also clear that ultimately it is we who have to deal
with this problem. We will take all measures necessary as we deem
fit to deal with the situation."


5. (U) On December 23, Pranab Mukherjee responded to reporters'
question outside parliament. The Times of India appears to have the
most complete verbatim account of what he said: "My request to our
friends in Pakistan would be (that) they should address the issue.
The issue is not creating war hysteria or raising accusing fingers

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at others," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told
reporters outside Parliament. "There has been a sinister, heinous
terrorist attack on Mumbai from the elements in Pakistan. India has
requested Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of those
attacks. We request Pakistan to act on our request," he said.

UPA President Sonia Gandhi
--------------


6. (U) The text of Sonia Gandhi's remarks on December 21 while
campaigning at Raubirsinghpura in Jammu is not available. The
following are excerpts from the media reporting on the speech:

-- The Hindu: Addressing an election rally here, just a few km from
the International Border with Pakistan, Ms. Gandhi said it had been
India's endeavor to have good relations with neighbors. "But our
aspirations were not respected and our desire for having peace
should not be treated as our weakness." She asked Islamabad to come
(down) heavily on those who had been attacking India. "If that does
not happen, we have the capability to give a befitting reply," she
said amid a thunderous response from the gathering. (Note: The
balance of the Hindu article reports on Gandhi's comments
highlighting the efforts of the United Progressive Alliance
government's efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, listing its achievements
and attacking the opposition National Democratic Alliance government
for its non-performance when it was in power.)

-- Indian Express: Sonia Gandhi stressed that India is competent to
give a befitting reply to those who are continuously encouraging
terrorism in their soil. Sonia said India's desire for peace should
not be taken as a sign of weakness. "We have always tried to
maintain brotherly relationships with our neighboring countries. The
sad part is that our emotions have never been respected. I want to
make one thing very clear that our wish on having peace and harmony
should not be misunderstood as our weakness. People who are
continuously encouraging terrorism from their soil, we want to tell
them that we are competent of giving a befitting reply to them," she
said."


-- Asian News International (wire service): Sonia said India's
desire for peace should not be taken as a sign of weakness. "We have
always tried to maintain brotherly relationship with our neighboring
countries. The sad part is that our emotions have never been
respected. I want to make one thing very clear that our wish or
having peace and harmony should not be misunderstood as our
weakness. People who are continuously encouraging terrorism from
their soil, we want to tell them that we are competent of giving a
befitting reply to them," she said. (Note: The balance of the ANI
story reports on Gandhi congratulating the people of Jammu and
Kashmir for participating in large numbers in the ongoing assembly
elections.)

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh
--------------


7. (U) The Prime Minister addressed the Indian chiefs of mission on
December 23. The full text of his remarks is not available, but the
Prime Minister's Office released a press statement which includes
the following excerpt on terrorism: "Prime Minister referred to the
international security environment, and said that threats such as
terrorism and piracy required a well thought out strategy. India
sought peace and stability in its neighborhood. The situation was
however worrisome. Non-state actors were practicing terrorism aided
and abetted by state establishments. The Mumbai terrorist attacks
were an attack on India's ambitions to emerge as an economic power.
India would not accept a situation where terrorism is used as an
instrument to cripple India's economy or the values it stands for."



8. (U) Emerging from parliament on December 23, the Prime Minister

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made comments on Pakistan, in response to reporters' questions. The
most complete verbatim account of what he said appears to be in the
Indian Express which reported: Speaking to reporters outside
Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "What we want from
Pakistan is to dismantle the terror machine. That is the one demand.
This is in the interest of the people of India and Pakistan. The
terror machine should be dismantled without any further loss. The
issue is not war. The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan
being used to promote, aid and abet terror here. I think that is the
issue. Nobody wants war."

The following is additional media reporting on the Prime Minister's
remarks outside parliament on December 23:

-- Times of India: 'India to Pak: Don't create war hysteria': Later
talking to reporters outside parliament, Singh said India does not
want war with Pakistan but would like Islamabad to dismantle the
"terror machine" existing on its soil and the international
community to use its "power" to persuade Islamabad to do so. "The
issue is not war. The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan
being used to provoke, to aid and abet terrorism. I think that is
the issue, the issue is not war. Nobody wants war," he said when
asked to speak on the present standoff with Pakistan in the wake of
Mumbai terror attacks.

-- The Hindu 'Nobody wants war: Manmohan': Prime Minister Manmohan
Singh on Tuesday reiterated that India wanted Pakistan to dismantle
the terror infrastructure and urged the international community to
persuade Pakistan to put an end to terror. "Nobody wants war," Dr.
Singh said when asked by reporters outside Parliament House if war
hysteria was being created on both sides. "The issue is not war, but
terrorism being aided and abetted by Pakistan. We want Pakistan to
make objective efforts to dismantle the terror infrastructure," he
said.

--AP: 'No one wants war': India's prime minister sought to lower
tensions with neighboring Pakistan on Tuesday in the wake of the
Mumbai attacks, saying 'nobody wants war.' ..... 'The issue is not
war, nobody wants war,' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told
reporters. ...... 'The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan
being used to promote and abet terrorism,' he said.

MULFORD