VZCZCXRO3722
OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHLH RUEHPW
DE RUEHNE #6254/01 2501255
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 071255Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8416
INFO RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 3671
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN 0497
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 7040
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 7050
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 0103
RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL 3338
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 7755
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1359
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 9883
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0575
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 0965
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1203
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 3808
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL CALCUTTA 6227
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 6316
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 5355
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE 2976
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 5501
RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR 3614
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2262
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 006254
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PINR KTFN EFIN IN RS
SUBJECT: G-8 SEEKS TO COORDINATE CT EFFORTS WITH INDIA
1. (U) Summary: G-8 officials met on August 31 to discuss
joint efforts to strengthen counter-terrorism cooperation
with GOI in light of a rising trend in terrorist attacks in
recent years. Most meeting participants stressed India's
interest in gaining international cooperation against
Pakistani terrorists. The Russian chair said that while New
Delhi has signaled its willingness to build joint efforts
against terrorism, cooperation still suffers from the Indian
perception that double standards place Pakistani militants
responsible for attacks in India at a lower priority than
efforts against Al-Qaida. Russian officials see an upcoming
visit (around October 6 to 13) by the G-8 Counter Terrorism
Committee (CTED) as an opportunity to step up engagement and
mitigate India's concerns. End Summary.
2. (U) Russian officials hosted a meeting with
representatives of the G-8 on August 31 in New Delhi to
coordinate efforts to build a better working relationship
with India on counter-terrorism issues with India. They
pointed to a rising trend in terrorist attacks against soft
targets since 2005 in India including major attacks since in
Bangalore, Varanasi, New Delhi, and Mumbai. Although Russian
officials said New Delhi historically has preferred to handle
terrorist issues internally, after the Mumbai attacks they
say India has sought new joint efforts with the international
community to combat terrorism on Indian soil. They believe
this represents a new opportunity to engage with India on
counter-terror issues. Russian officials said, however, that
cooperation with New Delhi still suffers from an Indian
perception that double standards place Pakistani militants,
including those responsible for the recent attacks in Mumbai,
at a lower priority in the war on terrorism than efforts
against Al-Qaida. The Russian delegation urged G-8 members to
work toward a joint convention on terrorism and step up
engagement with India largely to combat this perception.
3. (U) Representatives of Italy and the European Commission
suggested that the G-8 could work with India to pass new
money laundering legislation, an effort that would help
strengthen India's ability to stem civilian terrorist finance
flows. European Commission officials are willing to offer
India technical assistance to improve India's legislation
designating terrorist groups and their supporters --
assistance the European Commission already provides to ten
new European Union members.
4. (U) Embassy PolCouns outlined U.S. efforts to engage
India via training, a counter-terrorism dialogue, and against
terrorism financing. German and UK officials discussed
India's efforts to gain more information about terrorists
coming into India from Pakistan -- including whether there
were new patterns of terrorists entering through Bangladesh.
French representatives suggested that new connections between
Kashmir-focused terrorist groups and global terrorists
justified greater grounds for elevating our cooperation with
New Delhi. Canadian officials echoed French comments --
pointing out that of 17 Canadians recently arrested for
plotting terrorist acts in North America, most of them had
trained in madrassas in Pakistan.
5. (U) Comment: Prime Minister Singh's efforts to build
international support behind condemnation of Pakistan after
they July 11 Mumbai attacks appear to have gained some ground
with European officials. That said, the G-8's efforts
represent an opportunity to gain greater cooperation from
India on a variety of counter-terrorism initiatives. This
venue may also be appropriate in pushing India to implement
anti-money laundering legislation and meeting the
NEW DELHI 00006254 002 OF 002
requirements to gain membership in the Financial Action Task
Force (FATF), an active international body aiming to curb
money laundering activities.
MULFORD