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Cable Viewer Viewing cable 10NEWDELHI355, NSA MENON DISCUSSES REGIONAL SECURITY AND TRADE If you are new to these pages, please read an introduction on the structure of a cable as well as how to discuss them with others. See also the FAQs Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin 10NEWDELHI355 2010-02-25 12:56 2011-08-30 01:44 CONFIDENTIAL Embassy New Delhi Appears in these articles: http://www.thehindu.com/news/the-india-cables/india-and-neighbours/article2043148.ece VZCZCXRO3079 OO RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHDBU RUEHLH RUEHNEH RUEHPW DE RUEHNE #0355/01 0561256 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 251256Z FEB 10 FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9601 INFO RUCNCLS/ALL SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA COLLECTIVE RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8264 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 7326 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 3967 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 2176 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 6711 RUCPDOC/DEPT OF COMMERCE WASHDC RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 1865 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC RHMCSUU/DEPT OF HOMELAND SECURITY WASHINGTON DC RHEFDIA/DIA WASHDC RHMCSUU/FBI WASHINGTON DC RHEHAAA/WHITE HOUSE WASHDC RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC RUEIDN/DNI WASHINGTON DC RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8920 RHMCSUU/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC Thursday, 25 February 2010, 12:56 C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000355 SIPDIS EO 12958 DECL: 02/17/2020 TAGS PGOV, PREL, PTER, PARM, KNNP, ENRG, IR, PK, IN SUBJECT: NSA MENON DISCUSSES REGIONAL SECURITY AND TRADE ISSUES WITH CODEL MCCASKILL Classified By: Ambassador Tim Roemer for Reasons 1.4 (B) and (D). 5 1. (C) SUMMARY. In a meeting with CODEL McCaskill February 17, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon touched on regional security issues including Pakistan, Afghanistan, and Ira Menon Touts "Full-spectrum" Relationship, Discusses Pune Bombing 52. (C) In a wide-ranging meeting with CODEL McCaskill February 17, National Security Advisor Shivshankar Menon touched on several regional security and trade-related issues. Whereas the 53. (C) Menon welcomed the condolences offered by Senator Claire McCaskill (D-MO) for the February 13 bombing in Pune that killed 10 and injured dozens. The bombing was "a shock, yet no "Many Pakistans" 54. (C) Menon recounted that India had entered into the Composite Dialogue with Pakistan on the basis of former Pakistani President Pervez Musharraf's assurance that India would not be targ NEW DELHI 00000355 002 OF 004 "26/11." Menon lamented that Pakistan had shown itself to be "unable or unwilling to wean itself off from terror as an instrument of state policy." He alluded to evidence that serving Pakistani ofl 55. (C) Menon shared his perspective that "We are dealing with many Pakistans, so we need to run many Pakistan policies at the same time." He stressed that even after the Mumbai attacks I 56. (C) Terrorism would be "the primary issue" in the planned February 25 Foreign Secretary-level talks, but Menon allowed that after the first talks "it will be up to the Pakistanis how they respo Afghanistan: Menon a "Minority of One" 57. (C) Turning to Pakistan's role in Afghanistan, Menon cautioned that if the Pakistani establishment felt U.S. commitment was flagging in Afghanistan it would "sit it out and use the Indian thr 58. (C) McCaskill agreed we had a chance to succeed because we had adjusted our strategy. McCaskill was confident the United States would continue to sustain the 300,000 strong Afghan N Iran: A Choice Among "Unsatisfactory Strategies" 59. (C) Menon agreed with Senator Jeff Merkley's (D-OR) assertion that a nuclear Iran would be bad for everyone. Merkley had supported the Obama Administration's efforts to seek dialogue w NEW DELHI 00000355 003 OF 004 "hopping mad" over India's IAEA votes and Iranian Foreign Minister Moutakki "blew up" at former National Security Advisor M.K. Narayanan during his last visit to Delhi. "It goes without saying," 5 10. (C) India had a more complex relationship with Iran and was convinced that it could work with Iran on some issues. For instance, Menon asserted that Iran was more worried about the Talii Trade Issues: Fighters, Export Controls, Civ Nuke, GM Foods 5 11. (C) Menon said he appreciated all that the India and the United States had been able to accomplish together, and said we needed to do more on defense cooperation. McCaskill remarked a 5 12. (C) "In order to kick the relationship into a different gear," according to Menon, we needed "to be seen to be sharing technology." We both have complex legal and regulatory structures, son 5 13. (C) Merkley praised Menon's role in helping to conclude the Civil Nuclear Cooperation Agreement, and inquired about progress on implementation. Menon mentioned planned Reprocessing 5 14. (C) McCaskill noted that if there is one issue with regard to India that makes Americans "cranky" it is that India was stealing our manufacturing base. Pointing out that Monsanto was also l 5 15. (C) Codel McCaskill did not have the opportunity to clear this cable. NEW DELHI 00000355 004 OF 004 ROEMER