US embassy cable - 05NEWDELHI9207

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 009207 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/05/2015 
TAGS: PGOV, PREL, PBTS, SCUL, IN, PK 
SUBJECT: IN DIVIDED PUNJAB, DIPLOMACY DANCES TO A BHANGRA 
BEAT 
 
REF: 04 NEW DELHI 7703 
 
Classified By: PolCouns Geoff Pyatt for Reasons 1.4 (B, D) 
 
1.  (SBU) Summary: Drawn together by shared historical, 
cultural, and ethno-linguistic ties, the Indian state of 
Punjab and Pakistan's Punjab province continue to forge 
deeper relations even as Delhi-Islamabad rapprochement has 
slowed.  This message details recent progress in 
people-to-people confidence-building measures (CBMs) centered 
on the two Punjabs.  End Summary 
 
Official Relations in a Holding Pattern 
--------------------------------------- 
 
2.  (C) The pace of Indo-Pak interactions has slowed since 
the October Foreign Ministers' meeting.  Numerous factors 
have contributed to this slow-down, from the October 8 
earthquake (the rescue, relief and reconstruction of which 
has diverted much of both governments' attention) to the 
October 29 Diwali bombings (which, per  NEW DELHI 9008, are 
increasingly viewed by the GOI and the Indian public as 
having taken place at minimum because President Musharraf 
"has not yet lived up to his January 2004 promise").  The 
ouster of Foreign Minister Natwar Singh, although not related 
to Indo-Pak affairs, shifted the burden of managing the 
dialogue to an already taxed PM Manmohan Singh and the two 
Ministers of State for Foreign Affairs, neither of whom has a 
strong political profile.  NSA MK Narayanan's widely reported 
(though unquoted) November 26 criticism in Kerala that 
Islamabad was behind the kidnapping-murder of Indian Border 
Roads Organization worker ML Kutty in Afghanistan -- which 
Defense Minister Pranab Mukherjee later walked back in 
Parliament -- was another tempest in a teacup that reinforces 
the perception of a holding pattern in relations between the 
two capitals. 
 
Meanwhile, Back in the Punjab(s) ... 
------------------------------------ 
 
3.  (U) Compared to the national-level backdrop, 
Punjab-Punjab relations are progressing well.  The earthquake 
had delayed the start of the much-awaited Lahore-Amritsar bus 
service, but trial runs are planned for December 11 and 13, 
according to Minister of State for External Affairs E. 
Ahamed.  Also, Delhi-Islamabad talks on adding a bus route 
linking the Sikh holy places of Amritsar and Nankana Sahib 
(Guru Nanak's birthplace) are set for December 20-21 in 
Delhi.  Further south, technical-level talks on the rail 
connection between Khokhrapar (Sindh) and Munnaboa 
(Rajasthan) are set for December 11-15 with an eye to keeping 
the promised January 1 inauguration date for this important 
people-to-people CBM. 
 
A Pilgrimage Resumes After 58 Years 
------------------------------------ 
 
4.  (U) On a more festive note, Punjabi Chief Ministers 
Amarinder Singh (India) and Chaudhary Pervez Elahi (Pakistan) 
on November 29 witnessed the largest procession since 
Partition of the Guru Granth Sahib (the Sikh holy book) from 
Amritsar to Nankana Sahib in Pakistani Punjab.  The five 
kilometer long procession of approximately 1,700 people 
originated in Delhi and will have traveled 700 km by the time 
it reaches the Janmasthan Guru Nanak Dev in Pakistan to 
 
NEW DELHI 00009207  002 OF 002 
 
 
install the Guru Granth Sahib.  Indian media reports that 
pilgrims showered flower petals on the two chief ministers 
and Indian and Pakistani flags were flown side-by-side at the 
Wagah border to celebrate the occasion. 
 
Let the Games Begin 
------------------- 
 
5.  (U) Following on the December 2004 World Punjabi Games, 
the 2005 contest is set for December 21-27 in Lahore.  If 
last year's event (Reftel) is an indication, it will be well 
attended and well received -- in 2004, over 750 Punjabi 
athletes convened to test their skills at traditional sports 
-- wrestling, field hockey and kabaddi (a team sport 
combining elements of rugby, wrestling and tag) -- as well as 
Olympic sports such as basketball, cycling, and marksmanship. 
 
Comment: Progress Continues Despite Terrorism 
--------------------------------------------- 
 
6.  (C) The people along the India-Pakistan border continue 
to vote with their feet: despite terrorism and veiled 
accusations of terrorism, they favor engagement over 
estrangement and holidays over hostility.  This conclusion is 
borne out by a recent Office of Research Poll showing that 
81% of urban Indians say normalizing ties with Pakistan is 
important, with 37% seeing ties as at least "fairly good." 
Political level recognition of this support for rapprochement 
is a major factor in moderating the Indian response to recent 
acts of terrorism.  If the divided Punjab is a bellwether of 
the future of Indo-Pak relations overall, the future will be 
rosy if the governments get with the program. 
 
7.  (U) Visit New Delhi's Classified Website: 
(http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/sa/newdelhi/) 
MULFORD