This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 008192
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL KNNP TSPA MY LO KS PK BG BM CE NP IN GOI
SUBJECT: MEA STATEMENTS AND BRIEFINGS: MALAYSIA, SLOVAKIA,
KOREA, NEIGHBORS
1. Summary: This is another of our periodic messages
summarizing public statements by MEA Spokesman Navtej Sarna
and other MEA officials. Here we report Malaysian Prime
Minister Badawi's and Slovak President Gasparovic's visits
to India, Foreign Minister Natwar Singh's trip to South
Korea and the December 21 meeting of the Parliamentary
Consultative Committee on External Affairs. End Summary
Premier Badawi visits India
---------------------------
2. From December 20-25 Malaysian Prime Minister Abdullah
Badawi visited India. The trip resulted in business
agreements on IT, biotechnology and satellite systems. On
December 21, the GOI announced a deal between the Indian
Space Research Organization's (ISRO) Antrix Corporation and
MEASAT Global to form a joint venture. The two companies
plan to pool their capacity to create a "satellite
neighborhood." PM Badawi also traveled to Bangalore, which
included a stop at Hindustan Aeronautics, Ltd. (HAL). The
MEA emphasized Malaysia's ASEAN membership, noting that the
country is India's largest trading partner in the
association.
Slovak President Visits India
-----------------------------
3. President Ivan Gasparovic paid a five-day visit to India
from December 11, during which the two countries signed an
Economic Cooperation Agreement. While not explicitly
indicating Slovakian support for India's objective of
obtaining a permanent seat on the UNSC, the MEA announced
that Gasparovic was "of the view that India's permanent
presence.in an expanded UN Security Council would give it
greater legitimacy and enhance its effectiveness."
Neighborhood Review
-------------------
4. On December 21 FM Singh met the Parliament's External
Affairs Consultative Committee to review India's relations
with the SAARC member countries and Burma. According to MEA
Spokesman Sarna, the discussion also addressed New Delhi's
plan for the January 2005 SAARC Summit in Dhaka.
--Nepal: there is a need to improve infrastructure along the
border, including an integrated system of checkposts, the
Maoists are a "shared security concern," and discussions are
ongoing for extradition and mutual legal assistance
treaties.
--Bhutan: the Chukha and Kurichu power projects and the 1020
MW Tala Hydron project should be completed shortly, and the
Bhutanese King will be the Chief Guest for Republic Day on
January 26, 2005.
--Bangladesh: the GOI would like the BDG to address New
Delhi's security concerns, and increasingly, Indian
businesses are interested in investing in Bangladesh.
--Burma: the country has "direct bearing" on security and
development in India's Northeast, and the GOI will pursue
"constructive engagement" with Rangoon. Burma is an
important link between India and ASEAN.
--Sri Lanka: the economic relationship is a "model" among
India's neighbors and Colombo supports India for a permanent
UNSC seat.
--Pakistan: the atmosphere has improved and New Delhi will
follow a "conscious people-centric" policy which will lead
to an improved understanding of India's position.
FM Singh in Seoul
-----------------
5. December 13-16 FM Singh traveled to Korea to discuss the
bilateral security dialogue, which will begin in January
2005, and to finalize an MOU on defense cooperation.
According to the MEA, Korean officials "commended the Indian
initiative on the vision of an Asian Economic Community."
6. The MEA's Sarna noted that media reports suggesting that
while in Seoul the Foreign Minister had called India's 1998
nuclear test "regrettable," were a distortion of the facts.
The Spokesman emphasized that FM Singh had said that the
1998 test was the previous government's decision and that
although India is not a party to the NPT, which is
discriminatory, those countries that are should honor their
commitments.
MULFORD
NNNN
End Cable Text
Myrta Browne 01/04/2005 12:28:19 PM From DB/Inbox: Myrta Browne
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