US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI8380

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008380 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/27/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, IN, IS, India-Israel 
SUBJECT: GOI TRYING TO SALVAGE ISRAEL RELATIONS 
 
REF: A. NEW DELHI 6735 
 
     B. NEW DELHI 7797 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: Indian-Israel relations have hit a rough 
patch because of a recent lack of direction on the part of 
the ruling UPA government in New Delhi, but both sides say 
they intend to restore better ties.  Over the next few weeks, 
Congress party leadership will affirm India's interest in 
maintaining Israel as a useful friend by dispatching several 
senior visitors to Jerusalem despite the potential for 
provoking domestic discord.  End Summary. 
 
Signs of Trouble 
---------------- 
 
2.  (C) Israeli DCM Yoed Magen told PolCouns October 28 that, 
following what both sides recognize as unsatisfactory Foreign 
Office consultations (Ref A), the GOI and Government of 
Israel intend to step up their political level consultations 
to strengthen their strained relationship.  Israeli 
Ambassador Danieli recently called on Foreign Secretary Shyam 
Saran to "put everything on the table," Magen reported, 
including Israel's disappointment over the visit of Secretary 
(East) Rajiv Sikri, India's earlier fence-sitting toward 
Iranian nuclear ambitions and support for terrorism, and the 
perception of a growing chill in India-Israel relations. 
 
3.  (C) Saran professed to be unaware that the Israeli Prime 
Minister had requested a meeting with Indian PM Manmohan 
Singh on the margins of the UNGA summit in New York, which 
India's NY Mission had failed to secure.  He also expressed 
surprise at the level of Danieli's concerns about the Sikri 
talks, which failed to produce even an anodyne joint 
statement.  In return, Saran told Danieli of GOI concern with 
the "tough message" PM Singh heard from Jewish groups in New 
York, in contrast to the warm reception given to former PM AB 
Vajpayee.  The PM was raked over the coals on Iran this year, 
Saran complained. 
 
Mending Fences 
-------------- 
 
4.  (C) In what the Israeli Embassy expects as an effort to 
repair relations at the political level, senior Congress 
party leader and one-time PM aspirant Sharad Pawar will 
represent India in Jerusalem at the commemoration ceremony on 
the 10th anniversary of Yitzak Rabin's assassination. 
According to the Israeli Embassy, India is the only Asian 
country so far participating in the event.  Additionally, 
Minister of Commerce and Industry Kamal Nath, another senior 
Congress political operative, will visit Israel November 9-10 
for trade talks.  He is slated to be the only international 
keynote speaker at Israel's annual economic conference. 
 
5.  (C) India's West Asia Envoy C Gharekhan will also travel 
to Israel and elsewhere in the Middle East in mid-November, 
on a trip postponed from September after Israel's FM, 
reflecting Tel Aviv's disappointment, signaled that he would 
not meet Gharekhan.  Gharekhan will again request a meeting 
with the Foreign Minister, but the Israeli Embassy told us it 
is not clear the FM will agree to meet both him and Nath in 
short succession, especially if Gharekhan attends the one 
year anniversary of Arafat's death (which we are told will 
coincide with the Rabin commemoration).  The Indian diplomat 
told us his visit will be an attempt to get India "back into 
the picture" on Israel-Palestine issues, where Gharekhan 
believes New Delhi could play an important supporting role 
(Ref B). 
 
Comment: Serious Commitment from GOI 
------------------------------------ 
 
6.  (C) The fact that the Congress Party is willing to let 
senior party operatives travel to Jerusalem at a time it is 
fighting a losing battle in state elections in Bihar, with a 
large Muslim vote in play, suggests that the top leadership 
is still committed to improving India's relationship with 
Israel.  Thus far, however, the Congress government has been 
content to focus on the military dimensions of the Israel 
relationship, while submerging the more controversial 
political dimension.  Gharekhan has mentioned India's 
aspirations to be helpful in Mideast peace efforts several 
times, but the Congress leadership will have to decide how 
much public support it is willing to risk as it does so.  New 
Delhi's balancing act of domestic and foreign priorities will 
get even more difficult as Israel ties add to the debate 
already raging on India's position vis-a-vis Iran. 
MULFORD