US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI3252

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 003252 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/28/2015 
TAGS: PREL, EAID, IN, IZ, UNSC 
SUBJECT: KOFI ANNAN BURSTS INDIA'S UNSC VETO BUBBLE 
 
REF: A. NEW DELHI 3087 
 
     B. NEW DELHI 302 
 
Classified By: Charge Robert Blake.  Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's April 
26-28 visit to New Delhi began on a positive note as Annan 
and the GOI made amends for the GOI's refusal to allow the 
Secretary General to tour tsunami affected areas in southern 
 
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India in January, but it ended with a bubble-bursting bang 
when Annan very clearly said that new UNSC members could not 
expect to have veto power.  Annan's reality check set off 
introspection among New Delhi foreign policy watchers who now 
argue that India should put less effort into its "obsession" 
with the UNSC and more into being a global leader.  The GOI 
publicly offered constitution-drafting assistance through the 
UN to the new Iraqi government, suggesting that New Delhi is 
making a preliminary, albeit belated, gesture towards 
re-engaging on Iraq reconstruction.  Annan also urged India 
to sign the CTBT and join negotiations on the FMCT.  End 
Summary. 
 
The Patch 
--------- 
 
2.  (SBU) With no apparent lingering effects of the GOI's 
tsunami "snub," New Delhi rolled out the red carpet for Annan 
 
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who met with the Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister, 
President Kalam, UPA Chairperson Sonia Gandhi, and Leader of 
the Opposition LK Advani, and attended a roundtable on 
HIV/AIDS.  Although the MEA had stated on January 11 that it 
had no specific request from Annan to visit affected areas in 
India, the GOI reportedly had denied the Secretary General's 
request to include India in his tsunami tour (ref B).  Annan 
did not visit any tsunami reconstruction sites in India 
during this trip. 
 
The Pitch 
--------- 
 
3.  (SBU) Undeterred by its inconclusive lobbying effort with 
Chinese Premier Wen (ref A), New Delhi continued its UNSC 
campaign with the Secretary General.  In his lunchtime toast, 
Foreign Minister Natwar Singh restated India's case, 
declaring that "the architecture of the UN has remained 
frozen in time," and that developing countries needed to be 
allowed to "decisively influence the global agenda in all its 
aspects."  Indeed, the MEA spokesperson announced on April 27 
that the GOI focus during Annan's visit was to "reiterate 
India's claim to the Security Council," and to inform the 
Secretary General of India's efforts to that end.  Congress 
 
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spokesman Anand Sharma told PolCouns in the midst of the 
visit that India would underline its insistence on a UNSC 
seat including the veto.  Anything less, Sharma said, would 
be unacceptable to the Indian people and politically 
untenable following the Parliamentary debate where the 
government affirmed its quest for membership including a veto. 
 
The Pinch 
--------- 
 
4.  (U) On April 28, Annan delivered a lecture "In Larger 
Freedom: the Changing Role of the UN," which echoed many 
Indian arguments for UNSC membership, including selection 
based on contribution to peacekeeping and diplomatic efforts. 
 But the Secretary General also squashed the GOI's veto 
hopes.  Responding to a question about the utility of an 
expanded Security Council without the veto, Annan urged the 
audience not to be so focused on that detail, adding that an 
enlarged Council even without the veto would be a "step 
forward."  Later, at a press conference, asked if countries 
that are bidding for a permanent seat can expect veto power 
as well, the Secretary General answered, "no, the new 
permanent members are not designed to have a veto."  He added 
that it would be "utopian" to expect the P-5 to dilute their 
current rights.  During his remarks Annan also expressed the 
hope that India would soon sign the CTBT and join the FMCT 
negotiations (which also ruffled some Indian feathers). 
 
Back to Reality 
--------------- 
5.  (U) New Delhi-based policy watchers are increasingly 
calling for the GOI to "get real" on India's UNSC prospects. 
Following Annan's April 28 speech, an "Indian Express" 
editorial observed that India should accept membership, even 
without parity to the P-5, as a "first step."  An op-ed in 
the "Hindu" urged New Delhi to not "tilt at windmills," and 
to consider how unlikely it is that UN member states will 
favor expanding the "profoundly undemocratic" veto.  Even 
before Annan injected his dose of reality into India's 
campaign, prominent strategist C. Raja Mohan on April 26 
asserted that India's "obsession" with the UNSC was 
detracting from the more relevant deficiency in New Delhi's 
foreign policy: insufficient international power.  Arguing 
that "in its obsession with Security Council membership, 
India has contributed little to the new debates in the UN on 
the great global issues," Mohan warned that there are "no 
short cuts to great power status." 
 
Iraq Offer 
---------- 
 
6.  (U) Although the veto issue soon overtook it, on April 
27, the Foreign Minister responded to Annan's remarks on 
continuing UN engagement in Iraq with a public offer of 
Indian support for the "revival of the political process" 
there.  According to the MEA, Singh offered Indian expertise 
for the drafting of the Iraqi constitution, and committed to 
providing a list of Indians who could be involved.  We will 
encourage the Iraqi embassy here to follow up on this offer. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
7.  (C) With India's UNSC agenda -- and the considerable 
domestic focus on this issue -- increasingly at odds with the 
political realities, there is no indication of how the GOI 
plans to regroup.  The UNSC aside, Annan's remarks brought 
into focus the need for greater Indian action and involvement 
on global issues to back up their "rising global power" 
argument.  The GOI's public offer of assistance through the 
UN to the new Iraqi government was significant as a 
preliminary, albeit belated, gesture towards playing a part 
in addressing global challenges.  The upcoming visit to New 
Delhi of Ambassador Shirin Tahir-Kheli will provide an 
important opportunity to reinforce this argument about the 
need for India to continue stepping away from the GOI's 
comfort zone as the GOI seeks to prove its readiness for a 
permanent place on the Security Council. 
 
8.  (U) Minimize considered. 
BLAKE