Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
10NEWDELHI274
2010-02-10 14:08:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy New Delhi
Cable title:
INDIA ON PRESSURING IRAN TO ENGAGE ON NUCLEAR
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C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000274
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MNUC IR AF IN
SUBJECT: INDIA ON PRESSURING IRAN TO ENGAGE ON NUCLEAR
PROGRAM
REF: SECSTATE 09124
Classified By: POLCOUNS Uzra Zeya for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 000274
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MNUC IR AF IN
SUBJECT: INDIA ON PRESSURING IRAN TO ENGAGE ON NUCLEAR
PROGRAM
REF: SECSTATE 09124
Classified By: POLCOUNS Uzra Zeya for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (U) Due to the unavailability of senior Ministry of
External Affairs (MEA) officials over the last ten days,
PolOff delivered reftel demarche points on February 9 to
Under Secretary Siddhartha Nath of MEA's
Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) Division.
2. (C) Nath promised to convey the points to PAI Joint
Secretary Sinha (India equivalent of State Department
Assistant Secretary) and other senior MEA officials. He
acknowledged our concerns as valid and wondered whether
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki's February 5
statement at the annual Munich Security Conference that Iran
was "approaching a final agreement" with Western
interlocutors should be taken seriously. POLOFF pointed out
that Iran's counterproposal to have uranium enriched abroad
in return for higher-grade uranium fails to address the
concerns about its nuclear program, does not fulfill the
objective of building confidence in Iran's nuclear
intentions, and in effect rejects the IAEA's proposal.
PolOff also reminded Nath that Iran had not followed through
on the commitments it made in Geneva last October to reveal
its intentions for its nuclear program.
3. (SBU) Nath recognized Iran's intransigence with respect to
the issue of its nuclear program but also made clear that
Indian policy toward Iran is not "one-dimensional" and
explained that engaging Iran has its benefits. He pointed to
security issues as a primary example and stressed the GOI's
belief that Iran plays an important role in stabilizing
Afghanistan. "Iran is on the right side of the divide" when
it comes to Afghanistan, Nath explained, referring to Iran's
efforts to contain extremist Wahabi ideology.
Indian Foreign Secretary Visits Tehran
--------------
4. (SBU) Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao visited Tehran
February 1-4 to attend the seventh round of Foreign Office
Consultations/Strategic Dialogue, at the invitation of
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Fathollahi )-
Rao's formal counterpart. Rao and Fathollahi exchanged views
on Afghanistan and cross-border terrorism, and according to
Nath, also discussed Iran's concerns over new efforts to
negotiate with "unrepentant and unreformed" Taliban in
Afghanistan.
5. (C) Nath attempted to provide a good reason for why MEA
had not announced Rao's trip until after she had departed
India. He explained that with Iran, visits are not planned
very well and are usually arranged at the last minute -- even
for regular bilateral events which are scheduled in advance.
According to a press release issued by the MEA on February 3,
Rao -- who was accompanied by Sinha ) also called on Foreign
Minister Mottaki, Minister for Economy and Finance Dr. Seyed
Hosseini, and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Dr.
Saeed Jalili. It was agreed that the next meeting of the
India-Iran Joint Commission would be held in New Delhi at an
"early date." We hope to meet with Sinha and possibly Rao in
coming days to reinforce points and obtain a readout of the
Tehran visit and will report results at that time.
ROEMER
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2020
TAGS: PREL PGOV MNUC IR AF IN
SUBJECT: INDIA ON PRESSURING IRAN TO ENGAGE ON NUCLEAR
PROGRAM
REF: SECSTATE 09124
Classified By: POLCOUNS Uzra Zeya for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (U) Due to the unavailability of senior Ministry of
External Affairs (MEA) officials over the last ten days,
PolOff delivered reftel demarche points on February 9 to
Under Secretary Siddhartha Nath of MEA's
Pakistan-Afghanistan-Iran (PAI) Division.
2. (C) Nath promised to convey the points to PAI Joint
Secretary Sinha (India equivalent of State Department
Assistant Secretary) and other senior MEA officials. He
acknowledged our concerns as valid and wondered whether
Iranian Foreign Minister Manouchehr Mottaki's February 5
statement at the annual Munich Security Conference that Iran
was "approaching a final agreement" with Western
interlocutors should be taken seriously. POLOFF pointed out
that Iran's counterproposal to have uranium enriched abroad
in return for higher-grade uranium fails to address the
concerns about its nuclear program, does not fulfill the
objective of building confidence in Iran's nuclear
intentions, and in effect rejects the IAEA's proposal.
PolOff also reminded Nath that Iran had not followed through
on the commitments it made in Geneva last October to reveal
its intentions for its nuclear program.
3. (SBU) Nath recognized Iran's intransigence with respect to
the issue of its nuclear program but also made clear that
Indian policy toward Iran is not "one-dimensional" and
explained that engaging Iran has its benefits. He pointed to
security issues as a primary example and stressed the GOI's
belief that Iran plays an important role in stabilizing
Afghanistan. "Iran is on the right side of the divide" when
it comes to Afghanistan, Nath explained, referring to Iran's
efforts to contain extremist Wahabi ideology.
Indian Foreign Secretary Visits Tehran
--------------
4. (SBU) Indian Foreign Secretary Nirupama Rao visited Tehran
February 1-4 to attend the seventh round of Foreign Office
Consultations/Strategic Dialogue, at the invitation of
Iranian Deputy Foreign Minister Mohammad Ali Fathollahi )-
Rao's formal counterpart. Rao and Fathollahi exchanged views
on Afghanistan and cross-border terrorism, and according to
Nath, also discussed Iran's concerns over new efforts to
negotiate with "unrepentant and unreformed" Taliban in
Afghanistan.
5. (C) Nath attempted to provide a good reason for why MEA
had not announced Rao's trip until after she had departed
India. He explained that with Iran, visits are not planned
very well and are usually arranged at the last minute -- even
for regular bilateral events which are scheduled in advance.
According to a press release issued by the MEA on February 3,
Rao -- who was accompanied by Sinha ) also called on Foreign
Minister Mottaki, Minister for Economy and Finance Dr. Seyed
Hosseini, and Supreme National Security Council Secretary Dr.
Saeed Jalili. It was agreed that the next meeting of the
India-Iran Joint Commission would be held in New Delhi at an
"early date." We hope to meet with Sinha and possibly Rao in
coming days to reinforce points and obtain a readout of the
Tehran visit and will report results at that time.
ROEMER