GOI APPLAUDS PRESIDENT'S AF-PAK SPEECH (ESPECIALLY

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002447

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/03/2020
TAGS: PREL IN AF PK
SUBJECT: GOI APPLAUDS PRESIDENT'S AF-PAK SPEECH (ESPECIALLY
THE PAK PART)

REF: NEW DELHI 2435 (INDIAN PUNDITS REACT TO SPEECH)

Classified By: A/DCM Uzra Zeya. Reasons: 1.4 (b,d).


1. (C) In a December 4 meeting, MEA Joint Secretary for
Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Iran Affairs Y.K. Sinha expressed
general appreciation for the President's speech, stating that
it refuted speculation that the international community was
looking to make a hasty exit from the region. Apart from his
overall positive take on the USG approach, Sinha - a
functional equivalent of an assistant secretary and the GOI's
top policy point man on Af-Pak issues - expressed concern
that the mention of a July 2011 starting date for transition
of forces could lead the Taliban to undertake a strategic
pause and wait out international forces, only to reappear on
the scene in force once the transition is underway. He
stated, however, his appreciation for the USG approach to
calibrate the transition according to conditions on the
ground. He also questioned whether the strategy adequately
addresses "the fact that the source of the problem is on the
other side of the Afghanistan border," and opined that
eliminating terrorist safehavens in Pakistan will take far
beyond 2011 or even 2014. Echoing familiar GOI skepticism,
Sinha questioned Pakistan's will to eliminate extremist
sanctuaries and he alleged that TTP leadership and al Qaeda
had largely escaped GOP offensives in Waziristan and Swat and
had moved elsewhere in country, namely Karachi. Sinha
intoned that Afghan Taliban numbers are augmented by support
they receive from Pakistan. He stressed the importance of
dispelling any Pakistani perception that India is playing a
negative role in Afghanistan.


2. (C) Grousing that the speech made no overt mention of
India, Sinha emphasized that India stood ready to do more in
Afghanistan, particularly in areas such as capacity building
and training of Afghan personnel in India. Prefacing his
remark by stating that he was "thinking out loud," he asked
that the USG and the Afghan government consider asking India
how it can assist more in Afghanistan "without sending troops
to help." Such assistance, in Sinha's view, could logically
include GOI training of Afghan police and military units in
India, though he readily conceded that India understood USG
sensitivities on this issue and that he was not reflecting
GOI policy.


3. (U) On December 3, the Indian Ministry of External Affairs
(MEA) released the following statement regarding the
President's December 1 speech on the way forward in
Afghanistan and Pakistan. We transcribe the text verbatim:

Begin MEA Statement:

We have noted US President Obama's speech at West Point on
December 1,2009 and the announcement that 30,000 additional
US troops would be deployed in Afghanistan in the first part
of 2010. We welcome the emphasis in the US strategy on the
strengthening of the Government of Afghanistan and the Afghan
security forces. We also welcome President Obama's
reiteration of the need to squarely tackle terrorism, and for
Pakistan to ensure that terrorists do not enjoy safe havens
on its territory. India believes that it is in the interest
of the international community to impress upon Pakistan that
it must use all its influence and resources to implement its
commitments to dismantle the infrastructure of terrorism and
to deny sanctuary to all terrorist groups who operate from
its soil.

In our view, it is essential that the international community
shows unwavering commitment in resolutely opposing, resisting
and overcoming terrorism and those who nurture, sustain and
give sanctuary to terrorists and extremist elements. It is
also imperative that the international community shows
sustained and long-term commitment to assisting the
Government and people of Afghanistan.

India for its part has attempted to help Afghanistan in its
reconstruction efforts as a means to bringing stability in
that country. Our assistance, NOW over USD 1.3 billion, is
spread across Afghanistan and spans almost the entire gamut
of economic and social developmental activities. Despite
daunting logistical and security challenges, two major
GOI-funded infrastructure projects have been completed -
construction of the 218 km road from Zaranj to Delaram in
Nimroz province and the construction of the 220 KV
Transmission Line from Pul-e-Khumri to Kabul together with

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the sub-station at Chimtala. Construction of Afghanistan's
new Parliament building, a symbol of the common commitment of
both countries to pluralism and democracy, is also
progressing. India reiterates its determination to fulfill
its commitment to the Afghan people and Government as they
build a peaceful, democratic and pluralistic Afghanistan.

End MEA Statement.


4. (C) Comment: The President's calls for denial of
safe-havens to al Qaeda in the Afghanistan-Pakistan border
region played extraordinarily well in India. It is equally
apparent from the statement and Sinha's reference to Pakistan
as an "incubator of terrorism" that the GOI believes that the
speech validates its stated insistence that Pakistan
dismantle terror infrastructure and take action against
perpetrators of terror directed toward India before it
resumes meaningful talks with Islamabad. It is also clear,
with India's emphasis on its readiness to do more in
Afghanistan and Sinha's floating of NSF and ANA training
in-country, that we need to offer the Indians more specifics
on how we envision their role and U.S. red lines. End
Comment.
ROEMER