US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI1427

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 001427 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/23/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PHUM, KCRM, IN, NP, BG, AF, UK, INDO-PAK 
SUBJECT: NOTHING MAJOR FROM JACK STRAW'S NEW DELHI VISIT 
 
 
Classified By: Acting DCM Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's February 
16-18 visit to India yielded "nothing major," according to 
the UK High Commission, and was distinctly low key compared 
to earlier stops in Kabul and Islamabad.  Straw signed two 
immigration/law enforcement agreements, and discussed 
Indo-Pak, Nepal, Bangladesh, Kashmir, Afghanistan, Iran, UNSC 
reform and the July G-8 Summit.  Surprisingly, Straw did not 
raise Iraq.  The timing of his visit, in advance of expected 
elections in the UK later this year, led to speculation that 
he may have had his own constituency in mind as much as 
UK-India relations.  End Summary. 
 
2.  (C) Reviewing the visit, UK High Commission Poloff told 
us February 23 that Straw seems to have viewed his New Delhi 
stop as something of a break after demanding visits in Kabul 
and Islamabad.  UK PolCouns agreed that New Delhi was a 
low-intensity breather after more substantial visits earlier 
in the trip.  Straw several times reminded audiences that he 
had honeymooned in India, and was clearly more at ease with 
his Indian interlocutors than he had been at previous stops, 
according to our High Commission contacts. 
 
3.  (C) During his New Delhi visit, Straw met with External 
Affairs Minister Natwar Singh, National Security Advisor M. 
K. Narayanan, Home Minister Shivraj Patil, and BJP leaders 
Yashwant Sinha and L. K. Advani.  The latter meeting was 
intended in particular to defuse BJP criticism of the 
breakthrough Indo-Pak agreement for bus service in Kashmir. 
UK Poloff remarked that both the GOI and opposition figures 
were largely in harmony on the Indian policies toward Nepal, 
Pakistan, and Bangladesh. 
 
4.  (C) One area of substance during Straw's visit was the 
agreement signed for prisoner transfers between the two 
nations, and the renewal of a memorandum of understanding on 
the return of illegitimate asylum seekers to India.  The slow 
documentation of Indian nationals prior to repatriation has 
been an irritant, and the February agreement renewed an MOU 
signed during Home Minister David Blunkett's 2004 visit. 
Although the agreements garnered positive press coverage, UK 
PolCouns hinted that they were aimed mainly at addressing 
anti-immigrant sentiment in Britain during election season, 
and would have little practical impact since implementation 
problems persist. 
 
Indo-Pak Relationship and Kashmir 
--------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Straw congratulated Foreign Minister Singh on the 
progress in relations between India and Pakistan. UK Poloff 
commented that the Straw visit came at a good time in 
Indo-Pak relationships, with little substantive discussion 
other than expressions of encouragement at the positive 
direction of confidence-building measures.  BJP former 
Foreign Minister Sinha was predictably critical of recent GOI 
policies, pointing out the potential for infiltration of 
militants into Indian Kashmir through the recently announced 
Srinagar-Muzaffarabad bus service.  The High Commission 
reported that Straw found the general agreement with GOI 
policy among opposition politicians to be encouraging. 
During discussions with Straw on Kashmir, Home Minister Patil 
gave "the answer you'd expect," namely that India was ready 
to hold talks with anybody.  Straw encouraged Patil to 
restart the dialogue with the All-Parties Hurriyat 
Conference, and also raised the subject of human rights in 
Kashmir.  Patil's response, according to the High Commission, 
was that human rights violations are down in Kashmir, and 
there are appropriate state and national human rights 
commissions to look into violations.  NSA Narayanan lobbied 
Straw to alter the Foreign Office's travel advisory to UK 
citizens warning them against travel to Jammu and Kashmir, 
and Straw agreed to look into that issue. 
 
Nepal - Consultations, but how much coordination? 
--------------------------------------------- ---- 
 
6.  (C) The High Commission told us that both the UK and 
Indian side were interested in discussing the situation in 
Nepal, although the FCO did not want to heighten pressure on 
Kathmandu at this stage.  Straw and Singh agreed in their 
analysis of what had happened in Nepal, but they did not get 
into detail of what will come next.  UK Poloff told us that 
her impression of the discussion was that India is hoping 
that its levers (for example, suspension of military aid) 
will have a quick effect.  However, our High Commission 
contacts were not convinced that India knows what it will do 
if the King does not respond to these levers.  Foreign 
Minister Singh appeared to be very keen on maintaining 
consultations with the UK on Nepal. 
 
Afghanistan and Iran 
-------------------- 
 
7.  (C) Arriving in New Delhi after Kabul, Straw offered 
thanks to India for its assistance to the government of 
Afghanistan.  The High Commission noted that Singh had 
responded positively to Straw's encouragement that India 
assist Afghanistan in the area of counter-narcotics, but 
pointed out that the UK had attempted to engage the GOI in 
counter-narcotics before, and had discovered that while in 
principle the MEA may favor attempts to combat the narcotics 
trade, in practice "they aren't going anywhere."  When the 
conversation turned to Iran, Straw emphasized that India must 
push Tehran to cooperate with the EU-3 on its nuclear 
programs.  The Indian officials' response to Straw's 
exhortation was that they have given the message to Iran that 
Iran should cooperate in the talks with the EU-3 and IAEA. 
The High Commission stated that the UK feels that India has 
so far been helpful on the Iran matter. 
 
More consultations on Bangladesh 
-------------------------------- 
 
8.  (C) The British reported that Singh was very keen to 
discuss Bangladesh with Straw, and noted that India gave a 
presentation on the "terrorist threat" coming from 
Bangladesh.  Straw made the point to Singh that the stability 
of the political system of Bangladesh is a wider issue than 
cross-border terrorism alone.  Singh and Straw agreed to 
consult further on issues involving Bangladesh. 
 
India pushes its positions on international organizations 
--------------------------------------------- ------------ 
 
9.  (C) Singh confirmed to Straw that Prime Minister Manmohan 
Singh will attend the July G-8 Summit at Gleneagles.  Indian 
interlocutors pushed the GOI's desire for a permanent seat on 
the UNSC, and Jack Straw's blunt answer at a press conference 
that India needed to recognize the realistic options for UNSC 
reform ruffled local feathers.  However, our UK contacts 
noted that Straw's remarks did not get the same outraged 
press coverage that attended Vladimir Putin's similar remarks 
in December. 
 
10.  (C) British officers in New Delhi were disappointed that 
Straw did not engage Indian interlocutors on Iraq. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
11.  (C) Unlike Straw's earlier visits, several of which came 
in the white heat of Indo-Pak crisis diplomacy, this trip had 
the feeling of a valedictory tour.  Predictably, there was 
much speculation here that domestic UK politics were driving 
Straw's visit (he told a TV interviewer that his constituency 
includes over 45,000 persons of South Asian descent).  That 
impression was reinforced by the Foreign Secretary's 
extensive tour of Indian Punjab.  His comments during the 
visit illustrated again how important South Asia is in his 
consciousness, and in public remarks he several times 
referred to his 2002 crisis diplomacy with Secretary Powell. 
Aside from the consular-related agreements, there were no 
deliverables, but Straw's discussions with senior GOI 
officials on regional and global foreign policy issues 
illustrate how the UK-GOI "strategic dialogue" is 
intensifying. 
MULFORD