US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI6694

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 006694 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/31/2015 
TAGS: PTER, PREL, PGOV, MOPS, PBTS, ECON, IN, BD, PK, SA, Sri Lanka, India-Bangladesh 
SUBJECT: MEA EAGER TO WORK WITH US ON BANGLADESH AND SRI 
LANKA 
 
REF: NEW DELHI 6519 
 
Classified By: A/DCM Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: In an August 31 meeting, new MEA Joint 
Secretary for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar Mohan Kumar 
 
SIPDIS 
agreed to the need for greater information sharing and policy 
coordination between GOI and USG on Bangladesh and Sri Lanka. 
 Stressing that Bangladesh is "India's most important 
challenge," he said the GOI has finally realized they need to 
take that bilateral relationship more seriously.  These 
efforts are complicated by the GOB's "total denial" regarding 
Delhi's concerns, but Kumar hopes to improve relations 
through trade and people to people contacts.  On Sri Lanka, 
the GOI sees the Kadirgamar assassination as a sign that the 
LTTE is moving backwards on its transformation from a 
terrorist organization to a political group capable of 
assisting with a solution to the civil war.  He is also 
concerned that Norway is losing credibility as a mediator and 
that the November Presidential election will force the Sri 
Lankans to pull out of the SAARC summit scheduled for the 
same month.  We have a window of opportunity with India to 
work together on these two challenges.  We urge senior-level 
USG/GOI consultations at the soonest opportunity, especially 
on Bangladesh.  End Summary. 
 
Bangladesh is now the Top GOI Foreign Priority 
--------------------------------------------- - 
 
2.  (C) Although Kumar's expertise is in Sri Lanka, he 
commented that his first month on the job had taught him that 
Bangladesh is "India's most important challenge."  The GOI 
hasn't paid enough attention to its eastern neighbor, he 
commented, but there is now a recognition that Delhi "must 
take the relationship seriously."  As a result of the August 
17 bombing, policy towards Bangladesh is now "more important 
than Pakistan."  A/DCM stressed our hope that we can develop 
the same kind of information exchange and policy coordination 
that we have in Nepal.  Kumar responded that he "totally 
agreed on the need for closer coordination," and although we 
may not always agree, "we share common challenges" in the 
area. 
 
3.  (C) Kumar's biggest concern is that Bangladesh is a 
"country in total denial" of its problems, both internally 
and regarding its relationship with India.  "Even Musharraf," 
he remarked, "admits there are camps in Pakistan," but 
Bangladesh refuses even to admit that there is a problem with 
fundamentalism or illegal migration to India.  "If Bangladesh 
won't even admit these issues exist, how are we supposed to 
talk about them," he pleaded.  Without dialogue, he wondered 
how the GOI could make any progress improving the 
relationship.  Reflecting on the August 17 bomb wave, Kumar 
said it is clear the Jamaat ul'Muhajidin Bangladesh (JMB) has 
grown and were involved, but the GOB didn't know who else 
assisted with coordination.  He requested US help in putting 
pressure on the GOB to face extremism and unchecked 
immigration, two of India's highest security concerns.  A/DCM 
remarked that during a recent visit to the hill state of 
Meghalaya, he heard widespread concern about the effects of 
unchecked Bangladeshi immigration importing intolerant 
strains of Islam, but comparatively lesser preoccupation with 
terrorist groups like ULFA operating from next door. 
 
Progress Through Trade and People-to-People Contacts 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
4.  (C) While security concerns impede the bilateral 
dialogue, Kumar hoped to use trade and people-to-people 
contacts as instruments to improve ties.  Since the GOI can 
not expect reciprocity in economic negotiations, the only 
option is to give Dhaka some trade concessions.  A/DCM 
responded that the USG was encouraging this sort of economic 
linkage because it was good for Bangladesh and good for US 
business.  Remarking that Bangladesh is known for "cutting 
its nose to spite its face," Kumar said the GOI would have to 
find ways to make things happen "in spite of the government, 
not with the government."  He admitted that Delhi sometimes 
also takes "untenable positions," and hoped to circumvent 
governments on both sides.  Kumar cited people-to-people 
contacts as one example.  A/DCM recalled the way that 
Vajpayee was able to reach out to the people of Pakistan to 
appeal for better relations, and Kumar commented that the 
half a million visas that the GOI issued yearly was still not 
enough. 
 
Kumar Questions LTTE and Norway Roles 
--------------------------------------- 
 
5.  (C) Turning to Sri Lanka, Kumar questioned the 
"fundamental premise of the Oslo Process that the LTTE can 
transform from a terrorist organization to a political 
entity" capable of becoming part of the solution to the civil 
war.  Kumar, who previously served as DCM to the Indian 
mission in Sri Lanka and has returned for his second tour in 
this division of MEA, said the assassination showed the "LTTE 
was going back to its old ways."  The LTTE believes that the 
GSL was involved in the Karuna faction killing of their 
number three leader Kaushalyan.  As a result, they believe 
they are justified in killing Kadirgamar despite the cease 
fire, he speculated. 
 
6.  (C) Kumar emphasized his concern that Norway's 
credibility in the south is at an all time low.  Although 
India and the US know that the Norwegians have a thankless 
job that no one else is qualified to assume, he commented 
that the prevalent view is that they have become an 
"unabashed apologist for the LTTE."  "People think they are 
not capable of even basic fairness, much less a solution," he 
remarked. 
 
7.  (C) Kumar urged the US and the international community to 
put stricter sanctions on the LTTE.  He observed that "the 
only language the LTTE responds to is penalties and 
sanctions."  Kumar called US efforts to place restrictions on 
the LTTE in the West "pathetic," due to a lack of resources. 
The banned Tamil Rehabilitation Organization is mutating into 
an NGO that siphons off reconstruction money for the LTTE, he 
said.  Kumar recently met with the visiting Canadian MFA 
official David Mulroney, who indicated that Ottawa is 
"reviewing" their policy towards the terrorist group. 
 
SAARC Summit Shaky, Again? 
-------------------------- 
 
8.  (C) When A/DCM pressed for GOI plans for the November 
SAARC summit, Kumar responded that PM Singh hoped for a 
"bilateral component" with Bangladesh.  But he also cautioned 
that security concerns in Bangladesh, coupled with Sri 
Lanka's November Presidential elections, may lead to another 
rescheduling of the summit. 
 
Comment: A Man We Can Do Business With 
-------------------------------------- 
 
9.  (C) We found Kumar both thoughtful and practical about 
the problems facing two of India's closest neighbors, and 
someone who shares our belief about the advantages of USG/GOI 
coordination.  His statements on Bangladeshi denial mirror FM 
Singh's frustrations that the GOB is not reciprocating the 
Indian push for better ties (Ref A), but his view that Indian 
should work around its bureaucracy and use trade concessions 
as a leverage for progress was refreshing.  On Sri Lanka, the 
MEA focus is cutting off LTTE funding, which we are told was 
also the priority for new FM Bandaranaike's recent visit to 
New Delhi.  The speed and sincerity with which Kumar was open 
to cooperation in these areas is testament to the changed 
dynamic in the US-Indian relationship.  We should not miss 
this opportunity.  We believe a senior-level USG-GOI 
consultation on Bangladesh would be a good initiative at this 
juncture. 
10.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http//www.state.sgov/p/sa/newdelhi) 
MULFORD