US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI1074

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001074 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, EFIN, CE, IN, Tsunami Relief 
SUBJECT: INDIA EXPRESSES QUALIFIED SUPPORT FOR A TSUNAMI 
COORDINATION GROUP 
 
REF: STATE 18955 
 
1.  Mission presented reftel points on the formation of a 
tsunami coordination group to the MEA which, on February 10, 
 
SIPDIS 
responded with a non-paper (the text of which is in paragraph 
two) in support of such a group, provided its approach is 
multilateral, and focused on organizing a donor conference in 
Spring 2005.  We take it as a positive sign that the GOI is 
willing to engage with us to facilitate coordination among 
the donors. 
 
2.  Begin verbatim text: 
 
-- India had participated in the Core Group set up following 
the Tsunami as an effort to develop more effective joint 
action with the US, Australia, and Japan initially and, 
thereafter with Canada and Netherlands in providing emergency 
aid and assistance to countries affected by the Tsunami. 
 
-- We have taken note of the US proposal for India to join 
other donor nations, World Bank,  ADB and the UN Development 
Group to form a Tsunami Coordination Group. 
 
-- We agree that, in order to be effective, the primary 
objective for a Tsunami Coordination Group should be to 
facilitate coordination of efforts by the different donors 
towards reconstruction and rehabilitation in the Tsunami 
affected countries and quick disbursement of pledged 
assistance. 
 
-- We, therefore, support a general conference in spring 2005 
to coordinate positions between the donor nations and 
countries affected by Tsunami. 
 
-- We believe that individual donor events on a 
country-specific basis would be less in consonance with the 
required approach and objectives of such a Tsunami 
Coordination Group. 
 
-- India would endorse a Tsunami Coordination Group for the 
reconstruction phase on the same principle as behind the 
setting up of the Core Group following the Tsunami. 
 
-- India has already initiated the process of providing 
reconstruction assistance on a bilateral basis to countries 
affected by the Tsunami in its neighborhood, in particular 
Sri Lanka. 
 
10.02.2005 
New Delhi. 
 
End text. 
 
3.  When USAID raised this with SK Chattopadhay, Joint 
Secretary for Disaster Management at the Ministry of Home 
 
SIPDIS 
Affairs (MHA), he remarked that the GOI Planning Commission 
is already coordinating with UNDP, the Asian Development 
Bank, and the World Bank on the elaboration of a 
reconstruction program for affected areas in India. 
MULFORD