Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09NEWDELHI1960
2009-09-22 10:36:00
UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
INDIA PLANS TO DISCUSS CTBT IN STRATEGIC SECURITY
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UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001960
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM KNNP IN
SUBJECT: INDIA PLANS TO DISCUSS CTBT IN STRATEGIC SECURITY
TALKS, MAINTAIN TESTING MORATORIUM
REF: A. STATE 95946
B. NEW DELHI 1858
C. NEW DELHI 1833
UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001960
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM KNNP IN
SUBJECT: INDIA PLANS TO DISCUSS CTBT IN STRATEGIC SECURITY
TALKS, MAINTAIN TESTING MORATORIUM
REF: A. STATE 95946
B. NEW DELHI 1858
C. NEW DELHI 1833
1. (SBU) In response to ref A demarche, Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA) Under Secretary for Disarmament and
International Security Affairs (DISA) Vipul reaffirmed
India's unilateral, voluntary moratorium on further nuclear
testing in place since May 1998. He declined to speculate
about India's position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT) in the event the United States ratified the Treaty.
Vipul welcomed in principle the offer of bilateral
discussions on the margins of the CTBT Article XIV Conference
in New York September 24-25, saying that such consultations
were consistent with the spirit of our growing cooperation on
nonproliferation. However, he suggested that such
discussions would more appropriately take place in the
Strategic Security talks planned -- but not yet scheduled --
to take place prior to Prime Minister Singh's visit to
Washington November 24. Vipul confirmed that MEA was
preparing feedback on the proposed agenda for the Strategic
Security talks, which included discussion of the CTBT (ref B).
2. (SBU) COMMENT: Vipul's description of India's position on
the CTBT seemed unaffected by the on-going media controversy
over the alleged failure of India's 1998 thermonuclear test
(ref C). Strategic pundits continued to weigh in, most
agreeing that the alleged "fizzle" should not fundamentally
alter India's nuclear deterrence strategy. K. Santhanam, the
former DRDO scientist who touched off the current
controversy, added September 21 that India was "naked" to the
threat from China and "incapable" of weaponizing a
thermonuclear device, urging the government to lift the
testing moratorium. In a series of interviews September
20-21, National Security Advisor Narayanan maintained the
Government's position that it possessed a credible
thermonuclear deterrent and that further testing was
unnecessary. END COMMENT.
ROEMER
SENSITIVE
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PGOV PREL PARM KNNP IN
SUBJECT: INDIA PLANS TO DISCUSS CTBT IN STRATEGIC SECURITY
TALKS, MAINTAIN TESTING MORATORIUM
REF: A. STATE 95946
B. NEW DELHI 1858
C. NEW DELHI 1833
1. (SBU) In response to ref A demarche, Ministry of External
Affairs (MEA) Under Secretary for Disarmament and
International Security Affairs (DISA) Vipul reaffirmed
India's unilateral, voluntary moratorium on further nuclear
testing in place since May 1998. He declined to speculate
about India's position on the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty
(CTBT) in the event the United States ratified the Treaty.
Vipul welcomed in principle the offer of bilateral
discussions on the margins of the CTBT Article XIV Conference
in New York September 24-25, saying that such consultations
were consistent with the spirit of our growing cooperation on
nonproliferation. However, he suggested that such
discussions would more appropriately take place in the
Strategic Security talks planned -- but not yet scheduled --
to take place prior to Prime Minister Singh's visit to
Washington November 24. Vipul confirmed that MEA was
preparing feedback on the proposed agenda for the Strategic
Security talks, which included discussion of the CTBT (ref B).
2. (SBU) COMMENT: Vipul's description of India's position on
the CTBT seemed unaffected by the on-going media controversy
over the alleged failure of India's 1998 thermonuclear test
(ref C). Strategic pundits continued to weigh in, most
agreeing that the alleged "fizzle" should not fundamentally
alter India's nuclear deterrence strategy. K. Santhanam, the
former DRDO scientist who touched off the current
controversy, added September 21 that India was "naked" to the
threat from China and "incapable" of weaponizing a
thermonuclear device, urging the government to lift the
testing moratorium. In a series of interviews September
20-21, National Security Advisor Narayanan maintained the
Government's position that it possessed a credible
thermonuclear deterrent and that further testing was
unnecessary. END COMMENT.
ROEMER