IAEA/INDIA: ENCOURAGING SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS

C O N F I D E N T I A L UNVIE VIENNA 000459 SIPDIS STATE FOR P, T, ISN, SCA FOR A/S BOUCHER DOE FOR NA-24 SCHEINMAN; NA-243 GOOREVICH E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/13/2018 TAGS: ENRG ETTC IAEA IN KNNP MNUC PARM TRGY SUBJECT: IAEA/INDIA: ENCOURAGING SUBSTANTIAL PROGRESS TOWARDS AN ADDITIONAL PROTOCOL Classified By: Ambassador Gregory L. Schulte, reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). ¶1. (C) Summary. In an August 14 meeting with International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Director of External Relations and Policy Coordination (EXPO) Vilmos Cserveny, Ambassador Schulte raised the need for India and the IAEA to achieve "substantial progress" toward concluding an Additional Protocol (AP). Cserveny took the view that an IAEA-India meeting in Vienna next week on the margins of the August 21-22, Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG) plenary, at which India would receive a draft AP from the IAEA, would constitute substantial progress. Cserveny undertook to contact Indian Permanent Representative Kumar to encourage the Government of India (GOI) to meet with the IAEA on the AP next week. Also, Ambassador Schulte plans to speak to Kumar to stress the importance of ensuring an IAEA-India meeting in Vienna next week and to urge the GOI to accept a draft AP from the IAEA. Mission recommends Under Secretary Burns convey the same message to Indian Political Director Menon. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Schulte and notetaker met with IAEA EXPO Director Vilmos Cserveny and IAEA Senior EXPO Officer Lourdes Vez-Carmona on August 14 to discuss actions the GOI might take between now and early September which could constitute "substantial progress" toward concluding an AP. As Ambassador Schulte explained, such progress would be helpful within the NSG context but also with regard to the U.S. Presidential Determination process. Ambassador Schulte noted that the U.S. had urged the GOI to send a high-level delegation to Vienna next week in order to promote the initiative on the margins of the NSG plenary, and that he has been in regular contact with Kumar to this end. Ambassador Schulte confirmed that Deputy Atomic Agency Head Grover would be part of the Indian delegation. ¶3. (C) Cserveny welcomed the news that Grover would be in Vienna next week. He indicated that the IAEA had already had two meetings (one at the Director General level) with the GOI on the AP and that a follow-up third meeting in Vienna next week, where the GOI would receive a draft AP from the IAEA, would, in his view, be a reasonable step and constitute substantial progress. According to Cserveny, the IAEA could assemble a draft AP within twenty-four hours to give to the Indians. Cserveny promised to call Kumar immediately to urge the GOI to meet with the IAEA on the AP next week, and Ambassador Schulte, in turn, said he would call Kumar with the same message. Ambassador Schulte and Cserveny agreed to remain in touch over the next few days on this issue. ¶4. (C) Comment and Recommendation. Cserveny appeared relaxed and willing to coordinate with us to encourage the GOI to take steps towards concluding an AP. He seemed confident that a third meeting, in what he portrayed as a series of IAEA-India meetings on the AP, would be an appropriate opportunity to provide the GOI with a draft text. In order to set the stage with the GOI, we are conveying this message with the Indians here in Vienna. We also recommend that Under Secretary Burns reinforce the same message with Political Director Menon. End Comment and Recommendation. SCHULTE