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