VZCZCXRO7935
RR RUEHRG
DE RUEHSW #0587 0761600
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
R 171600Z MAR 06 ZDS ZUI RUEHSD #0293 0792108 ZDK
FM AMEMBASSY BERN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1846
INFO RUCNMEM/EU MEMBER STATES COLLECTIVE
RUCNMEU/EU INTEREST COLLECTIVE
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 2016
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA 0834
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI 0086
RUEHRG/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA 0124
RUEHSA/AMEMBASSY PRETORIA 0084
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0023
RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA 2480
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0068
RUEHNO/USMISSION USNATO 0307

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERN 000587 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR SCA, ISN, EUR 
 
C O R R E C T E D  C O P Y (RENUMBERED PARAS REORDERED TAGS) 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2016 
TAGS: PREL KSCA KNNP ENRG PARM ETTC IN SZ
SUBJECT: U.S.-INDIA CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION: SWISS NOT 
READY TO SUPPORT 
 
REF: A. SECSTATE 42857 
 
     ¶B. SECSTATE 34761 
     ¶C. 2005 BERN 1315 
 
Classified By: Poloff Eric Lundberg, Reasons 1.4 b/d 
 
1.(C) Summary:  Swiss officials remain unsure about their 
approach to NSG cooperation with India, but have no plans to 
raise public opposition.  While recognizing the momentum 
behind the U.S.-led initiative to cooperate with the Indian 
civil nuclear program, the Swiss have strong misgivings about 
how such measures will undermine the Nuclear 
Non-Proliferation Treaty (NPT).  Embassy continues to urge 
Swiss officials to look beyond the narrow technical aspects 
of the NPT and at the broader advantages of closer 
cooperation with India and enhanced non-proliferation 
cooperation.  End Summary. 
 
2.(C) During a March 17 meeting with the Ambassador, Swiss 
Department of Foreign Affairs Political Director (and 
Ambassador-designate to Washington) Urs Ziswiler downplayed 
Swiss concerns with the U.S.-India agreement and indicated 
that his government would not make public statements against 
the deal.  However, he could not say how Switzerland would 
approach the issue of opening up Nuclear Suppliers Group 
(NSG) cooperation with India. 
 
3.(C) In a more detailed March 15 discussion with Poloff, a 
more skeptical Swiss Department of Foreign Affairs 
disarmament chief Andreas Friedrich reiterated his views from 
July 2005 (Ref C) that granting India an exception to NSG 
requirements would weaken the international community's case 
against an Iranian nuclear program.  The NPT had suffered 
several hits in recent years, including the failed Revcon 
last year, Friedrich complained.  The Swiss did not see how 
exceptions to NSG guidelines could be offered to only one 
country. 
 
4.(C) Poloff urged Friedrich to view cooperation with India 
as the better of two options.  While the NPT was important, 
it was a tool toward the goal of non-proliferation and not an 
end in itself.  The Swiss should recognize that bringing 
India's program under international scrutiny would contribute 
to our mutual non-proliferation goals.  India's 
non-proliferation record had been constructive.  While it 
would be ideal were India to follow South Africa's example 
and abandon its nuclear weapons program, this was not going 
to happen.  Bringing India closer to NSG discipline was the 
next best option. 
 
5.(C) Friedrich acknowledged Poloff's points, but repeated 
his concerns about the validity of the NPT.  He expressed 
concern about how other countries beyond Iran might react to 
a weakened NPT.  Given these concerns, Switzerland would not 
be prepared for a decision at the March NSG meeting (which 
Ref A later clarified would not be sought).  He said several 
NSG member countries were anxiously looking at the response 
in the U.S. Congress (implying that many would be happy to 
see the U.S.-India deal ended in Washington).  Poloff urged 
Friedrich to keep an open mind. 
 
Comment 
------- 
 
6.(C) The technical people in the Swiss DFA, like Friedrich, 
are predisposed to reject closer NSG-India cooperation.  At 
the political level, the Swiss do not want this to be a 
bilateral problem (either in their relations with Washington 
or New Delhi).  Given these opposing concerns, we expect Bern 
to raise many questions during the upcoming NSG meeting, but 
eventually to go with the consensus. 
Willeford