US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI9080

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 009080 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/01/2015 
TAGS: PREL, PGOV, PHUM, PTER, BG, BM, IN, SA, India-Burma, India-Bangladesh 
SUBJECT: GOI "CONSTRUCTIVELY ENGAGED" IN BURMA, UPBEAT ON 
BANGLADESH 
 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoffrey Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (C) Summary: MEA J/S (Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar) 
Mohan Kumar was candid about India's need to continue 
engaging in Burma and optimistic that PM Singh had begun to 
"clear the air" during his bilateral meeting with President 
Zia in Bangladesh.  Acknowledging Indian competition with the 
Chinese presence in Burma, Kumar characterized the evolving 
relationship as "constructive engagement."  Kumar was equally 
puzzled about the recent relocation of Burma's capital, but 
offered Indian theories on the move, including fears of 
intelligence penetration in Rangoon or a power battle between 
State Peace and Development Council (SPDC) Chairman Than Shwe 
and Vice-Chairman Maung Aye.  Regarding the November 12 
bilateral meeting between PM Singh and President Zia on the 
sidelines of the South Asian Association for Regional 
Cooperation (SAARC) Summit, Kumar told us that most important 
result of the meeting was to "clear the air" between the 
heads of state.  The two leaders did not cover much 
substantive ground, he reported, but the Indian PM had 
stressed that he and Zia should "cut through the red tape" 
together when problems between Delhi and Dhaka arise.  End 
Summary. 
 
Burmese Engagement: Constructive or Just Competitive? 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
2.  (C) In a November 23 meeting on regional issues, Joint 
Secretary for Bangladesh, Sri Lanka and Myanmar Mohan Kumar 
 
SIPDIS 
was open about India's need to compete with Chinese presence 
in Burma and characterized Delhi's growing ties with Rangoon 
(and now Pyinmana), as "constructive engagement."  To counter 
Chinese influence in Burma, "India needs to be there," he 
postured, and this provides an added incentive for GOI 
infrastructure projects throughout the country.  In response 
to PolCouns' hope that India is using its relationship to 
lead Burma in a direction which reflects our common values, 
Kumar commented that "India does raise these (democracy) 
issues."  However, he observed that it is difficult to tell 
how their Burmese counterparts respond to these statements, 
since they tend to "read from a script" at meetings and are 
clearly worried about saying anything out of line. 
 
3.  (C) Kumar offered several theories on the recent 
relocation of the Burmese capital, arguing that it was the 
work of a schizophrenic leader rather than a further sign of 
regime hardening.  After joking that the move was taken in 
response to fears of a US invasion, he compared it to the 
ancient Mughal ruler Tughlak's equally unpopular relocation 
of the Indian capital.  He commented that there was no good 
explanation, but offered two theories.  Either Chairman Than 
Shwe was worried that Rangoon had been "penetrated" or the 
SPDC leader was embroiled in a battle with Vice-Chairman 
Maung Aye.  He repeated a rumor that Aye had protested the 
bizarre idea of relocating the capital, which served as a 
"trigger to move."  He rejected the theory that it was a 
further sign of hardening in Burma, and described it as the 
work of a "paranoid" leader in an "act of desperation." 
 
PM Singh "Clears the Air" in Dhaka 
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4.  (C) Turning to Prime Minister Singh's November 12 
bilateral meeting with Bangladeshi President Khaleda Zia on 
the sidelines of the SAARC Summit, Kumar was optimistic that 
the meeting would further New Delhi's campaign for increased 
high-level contact with Dhaka.  Singh and Zia had a "very 
pleasant" meeting for about twenty-five minutes, but "did not 
cover much substantive ground."  During the meeting, the 
Indian PM stressed the importance of good bilateral relations 
by promising that he would personally "cut through the 
bureaucratic red tape together" to solve any disputes between 
the two neighbors.  Most significantly, it was "positive that 
high level contacts with Bangladesh had been initiated and 
sustained."  He hoped this meeting would begin to repair the 
damage left by hurt feelings over India's decision to cancel 
the February 2005 SAARC Summit. 
 
Comment: India Getting Practical With Tough Neighbors 
--------------------------------------------- -------- 
 
5.  (C) What was striking about Kumar's comments was the 
GOI's practical take on how to manage relations to the east. 
Rather than squabbling over its inability to get tangible 
results from Zia or decrying the negative effects of Chinese 
presence in Burma, India is rolling up its sleeves and 
looking for practical ways to further its interests.  MEA is 
still hopeful that sustained, high-level contacts with Dhaka 
will eventually elicit better communication and cooperation. 
In Burma, its engagement has produced arrangements on 
infrastructure, energy security and anti-insurgency 
cooperation.  We will continue to urge the GOI also to use 
its influence to emphasize human rights and encourage Burma 
in the right direction. 
 
6.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) 
MULFORD