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DE RUEHRL #1165/01 1181504
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FM AMEMBASSY BERLIN
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2831
INFO RUEHZG/NATO EU COLLECTIVE PRIORITY
RUCNNSG/NUCLEAR SUPPLIERS GROUP  PRIORITY
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 0362
RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 0455

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 001165 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/27/2016 
TAGS: PREL PGOV GM IN
SUBJECT: INDIAN PRIME MINISTER SINGH'S VISIT TO GERMANY 
 
Classified By: Acting POL M/C John Lister for reasons 1.4 (B) 
and (D). 
 
¶1. (C) (Summary) Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh's visit 
to Germany from April 23-25 raised India's profile as an 
international partner for Germany and gave Singh a chance to 
address German concerns about the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear 
Initiative.  In her public comments about the initiative, 
Chancellor Merkel said she believes that, assuming the issue 
continues to make progress in the U.S. Congress and the 
Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany should be able to 
"intensify" its civil nuclear cooperation with India.  Merkel 
praised India for its vote in the IAEA to send the Iran issue 
to the UN Security Council and a Foreign Ministry official 
told us he expects Singh to continue playing a constructive 
role on Iran, despite the constraints India faces on this 
issue.  Merkel also praised Singh for his efforts to bring 
stability to the Asian subcontinent and announced that EU 
cooperation with India on science and technology will be one 
of the important themes of Germany's EU Presidency next year. 
 (End Summary) 
 
Raising India's Profile 
----------------------- 
 
¶2. (C) Singh's visit got substantial press coverage, typified 
by a front page picture of Chancellor Merkel shaking the hand 
of an Indian-manufactured robot with the caption "The New 
Friend."  Ralf Horlemann, Deputy Director of the South Asia 
Office at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, told us that 
Germany has had a strategic partnership with India since 
¶2000.  However, India has only become a focus of attention of 
political elites, think tanks and the business leaders much 
more recently, and the Singh visit brought this to a head. 
 
Civil Nuclear Cooperation 
------------------------- 
 
¶3. (C) The U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Initiative figured 
heavily in Singh's discussions with Chancellor Merkel and 
Foreign Minister Steinmeier.  In her public comments 
following her meeting with Singh, Merkel said she believes 
that, assuming the issue continues to make progress in the 
U.S. Congress and the Nuclear Suppliers Group (NSG), Germany 
should be able to "intensify" its civil nuclear cooperation 
with India.  She qualified the comment somewhat by 
emphasizing that Germany is following the discussions in the 
Congress and NSG closely, and by saying that Germany would 
develop its position in the context of the "international 
community."  Merkel also underlined that the emphasis Singh 
placed on India's commitment to nuclear nonproliferation was 
very important to Germany, and she characterized IAEA 
Director General el Baradei's support for the agreement as 
significant.  Horlemann said Foreign Minister Steinmeier told 
Singh the Germans would be asking concrete questions about 
the commitments the Indians are prepared to make and would 
expect concrete answers. 
 
Iran 
---- 
 
¶4. (C) Merkel praised India for its vote in the IAEA to send 
the Iran nuclear issue to the Security Council.  She added 
that Germany and India are of one mind that international 
solidarity is critical in dealing with the Iran issue. 
Horlemann said Steinmeier also thanked Singh for the IAEA 
vote and said nothing critical about India's Iran policy 
during his meeting.  According to Horlemann, the Germans 
believe, based on this meeting and several rounds of 
consultations in New Delhi, that India will work 
constructively with the EU-3 even though the Indians have a 
different set of interests in Iran. 
 
Pakistan 
-------- 
 
¶5. (C) Chancellor Merkel publicly praised Singh for his 
efforts over the past two years to bring greater stability to 
the subcontinent.  She said she strongly supported further 
negotiations and intensified cooperation between India and 
Pakistan.  Pakistan's Foreign Minister, Khurshid Kasuri, 
traveled to Germany right after Singh's visit, meeting with 
Foreign Minister Steinmeier just one day after Steinmeier's 
meeting with Singh.  According to Horlemann, the Pakistani 
Foreign Minister argued that the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear 
Initiative could upset the balance of power in the region. 
He said he counted on Germany to remain true to its 
obligations and principles.  Steinmeier told him that the 
Germans are still developing their position. 
 
Energy Security 
--------------- 
 
¶6. (C) Singh and his Indian delegation spent much of their 
time in Germany promoting Indian business at the Hanover 
Industrial Fair, where they served as co-chair with Germany. 
Both sides stressed the possibilities for expanding trade 
between the two countries, which has been increasing 20-30 
percent annually.  The two governments signed an agreement 
creating an Energy Forum, which will organize regular 
meetings between high level officials and business leaders to 
pursue cooperation in such fields as energy conservation and 
renewable energy (but not nuclear energy).  Chancellor Merkel 
also announced that EU cooperation with India on science and 
technology will be one of the important themes of Germany's 
EU Presidency next year. 
CLOUD