INDIA: PAKISTAN MUST DEMONSTRATE IT IS SERIOUS

S E C R E T NEW DELHI 002039 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/01/2019 TAGS: PREL EAGR ENRG PARM SENV PK IN SUBJECT: INDIA: PAKISTAN MUST DEMONSTRATE IT IS SERIOUS ABOUT DISMANTLING TERRORIST INFRASTRUCTURE Classified By: POLCOUNS Uzra Zeya for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) ¶1. (S) Ministry of External Affairs (MEA) Joint Secretary Y.K. Sinha (Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran Division) told us India is open to continuing a "general dialogue" with Islamabad but resumption of the Composite Dialogue (CD) and real progress in improving bilateral ties is not possible until Islamabad demonstrates that it is making a concerted effort to dismantle terrorist cells within Pakistani territory. ¶2. (S) While assessing just concluded India-Pakistan talks in New York as positive, Sinha explained to PolCouns during an October 1 meeting that India is not basing its decisions on next steps with Pakistan on a single issue such as whether or not Hafez Saeed is behind bars. That said, Sinha asserted that it defied credibility that Pakistan had arrested a mid-level LeT operative, Zaki Rehman Lakhvi, without pursuing an investigation against JuD/LeT leader Saeed, without whose approval an attack of Mumbai's magnitude was not possible. Lack of Pakistan's resolve on investigating Saeed deepened GOI's doubts over Islamabad's ability and will to battle terrorism, Sinha concluded. He added that if Pakistan cannot control border infiltrations, then Islamabad was "either completely inefficient or complicit." Sinha observed that "for the last year Pakistan has taken one step forward and two steps back -- this does not inspire confidence." In the meantime, over the past 10 months Indian had faced heightened threats of plots emanating from Pakistan with attacks appearing imminent on a regular basis. ¶3. (S) "Pakistan must act purposefully and meaningfully," Sinha declared, explaining the GOI would not provide Islamabad with a list of specific benchmarks but rather expects "credible action" from Islamabad against India-directed terror. He seemed optimistic about the prospect of moving forward and told PolCouns he believes Pakistan realizes that a productive dialogue is not possible without proper efforts to control cross-border infiltrations. "It is not about scoring brownie points with us ) it's about taking credible action" explained Sinha, adding that Islamabad needs to realize that India is not a military threat and is keen on focusing on its own economic growth. Unhelpful Fixation on Composite Dialogue -------------- ¶4. (S) Sinha said he believes there is a definite prospect for resumption of the Composite Dialogue over the long term but referred to Islamabad's interest in restarting CD talks as a "fixation" and blamed both Indian and Pakistani media for intensifying and politicizing the issue into a major distraction. What is important, according to Sinha, is that a "general dialogue" continues and that Pakistan focuses on bringing to justice the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and dismantling the terrorist infrastructure. ROEMER