US embassy cable - 04NEWDELHI7701

C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 007701 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2013 
TAGS: PREL, BEXP, EAIR, IN, AF, India-Afghanistan 
SUBJECT: HIGH LEVEL INDIAN REP FOR AFGHANISTAN INAUGURATION 
 
Classified By: Ambassador David Mulford for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1. (U) Action request for OVP.  Please see para 4. 
 
2. (C) Reflecting significant Indian interests in Afghanistan 
and GOI support for Karzai's re-election, New Delhi has 
designated Minister of State in the PMO Prithviraj Chavan to 
lead the official delegation for the December 7 Afghan 
inauguration.  As Minister of State in the Prime Minister's 
Office, Chavan serves as a go-between for Manmohan Singh and 
Congress President Sonia Gandhi, providing some of the 
political screen that Brajeh Mishra offered in the Vajpayee 
PMO.  A founding member of the Indo-US Parliamentary Forum, 
Chavan is a US-educated contemporary of Rajiv Gandhi who was 
a supporter of our bilateral relationship long before it 
became fashionable. 
 
3. (C) MEA contacts intimated several weeks ago that the 
timing of the Afghan inauguration, which coincides with a 
short and intensive session of Parliament, would complicate 
efforts to identify a suitably high-level leader of the 
Indian delegation.  The decision to designate Chavan (who 
will be sent as a personal emissary of the Prime Minister) 
reflects a typically Indian effort to split the difference, 
while avoiding the political problems that could result if 
Foreign Minister Natwar Singh was out of the country while 
Parliament was in session. 
 
4. (SBU) Action Request: As detailed septel, the GOI has just 
issued a Request for Proposal for 50 widebody aircraft for 
Air India.  US success in this major tender will require 
sustained high-level advocacy to balance pressures from 
European capitals, including from Chancellor Schroeder PM 
Blair and President Chirac, all of whom have weighed in to 
support Airbus.  In this context, Mission asks that OVP seek 
an opportunity for the Vice President to engage personally 
with Minister Chavan on behalf of Boeing.  All indications 
are that this tender is on a fast track.  The 
Vice-President's visit is an opportunity to convey a high 
level message that will go straight to the decision-making 
levels of the Indian government. 
 
5. (U) Minimize considered. 
MULFORD