US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI2567

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 002567 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: EAID, PREL, KDEM, AF, IN, India-Afghanistan 
SUBJECT: ELECTION ASSISTANCE FOR AFGHANISTAN: INDIA WILL 
CONSIDER ANY REQUEST 
 
REF: A. STATE 61560 
     B. NEW DELHI 395 
 
1.  (SBU) MEA Joint Secretary (Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran) 
Dilip Sinha told PolCouns on April 6 that while India had not 
received any specific request from Kabul for assistance with 
the September 8 parliamentary elections, New Delhi was 
willing to look favorably at our request.  Sinha emphasized 
India's commitment to contributing as much as possible in 
Afghanistan, noting that the GOI had agreed to provide 
technical training for the Parliamentary Secretariat.  He 
added that he would check with both the UNDP, whose request 
this is, as well as the Government of Afghanistan. 
 
2.  (SBU) Updating on India's pledge during President 
Karzai's February New Delhi visit to complete the Kabul to 
Pul-i-Khumri transmission line project (ref B), Sinha 
explained that the GOI was still in the process of obtaining 
internal approvals.  Although this would take "some time," he 
was optimistic that construction could still start in April 
as the GOI had intended. 
 
3.  (SBU) Noting the importance of Indian support for 
Afghanistan, PolCouns reintroduced the idea we had initially 
proposed to Sinha's predecessor, Arun K. Singh, of a day of 
consultations in Washington.  PolCouns suggested that if 
Sinha should visit the US on other business, he consider 
meeting with Special Coordinator for Afghanistan Ambassador 
Quinn and possibly US officials responsible for Iran as well. 
MULFORD