VZCZCXRO2548
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DE RUEHNE #2342 3231257
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 191257Z NOV 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8649
INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE
RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE
RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL COLLECTIVE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8095
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 7006
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3784
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 1990
RUEHTV/AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV 0679
RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6590
RUEHJM/AMCONSUL JERUSALEM 0180
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 8644
RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC
RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8661
C O N F I D E N T I A L NEW DELHI 002342
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/19/2019
TAGS: PREL UNGA KPAL IS IN
SUBJECT: INDIA WILL LIKELY CONTINUE TO SUPPORT UNGA
RESOLUTIONS WITH ANTI-ISRAEL BIAS
REF: A. SECSTATE 118799 B. NEW DELHI 02227
Classified By: POLCOUNS Uzra Zeya for Reasons 1.4 (B, D)
1. (C) The Indian Mission to the UN in New York will vote in favor of resolutions that reaffirm support for the three UN
institutions devoted exclusively to Palestinian issues as New Delhi remains unwilling to review its policy on
Israeli-Palestinian issues. On November 18, PolCouns conveyed Ref A points to Indian Ministry of External Affairs Joint
Secretaries for UN Political (UNP) and UN Economic and Social (UNES) Divisions urging them to review their policy on the
redundant and costly institutions and request their permanent representative to the UN Mission in New York to abstain or
be absent when these and other UN resolutions with an anti-Israel bias came to a vote.
2. (C) In reply, Director of UNP Division, Sanjay Rana, told Poloff on November 19 that India would not change its
position on such resolutions. Despite Delhi's ongoing consideration of such resolutions, the Indian Government has a
""consistent and strong position"" on the Israeli-Palestinian debate, Rana explained. He reiterated the statement made
in early November by the Indian Deputy Envoy to the UN that ""India's commitment to the Palestinian cause is complete.""
Poloff noted our objections to such resolutions stem largely from the fact that their one-sidedness only detracts from
the institutional credibility of the UN and damages the peace process.
3. (C) Comment: Despite India's good relations with Israel, India's interests in fora like the UN are usually in
lock-step with Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) countries, especially on issues related to the Middle East (Ref B). The Indian
Government is likely to remain inflexible on its UN voting strategy through the 64th UN General Assembly and continue to
support resolutions with an anti-Israel bias. Its aim is to stay in good favor with NAM countries which presumably would
support India's candidacy for a non-permanent seat during October 2010 UN Security Council elections. End Comment.
ROEMER