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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003236 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR D, SCA 
ISLAMABAD FOR AMB PATTERSON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PK IN
SUBJECT: GOI Leaders' Statements on Pakistan and Terrorism, December 
21-23 
 
¶1.  (SBU) Mission reports below statements made by the Indian 
Foreign Minister, the Indian Prime Minister, the Foreign Minister 
and President of the ruling United Progressive Alliance government 
over the last three days on Pakistan and terrorism.  Despite the 
often heated headlines in both India and Pakistan relating to these 
statements, we note that the remarks are quite restrained and 
measured, given the immense public pressure on these Indian leaders 
to produce results.  We do not see anything in these remarks that 
suggests inflammatory warmongering rhetoric. 
 
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee 
--------------------------------- 
 
¶2.  (U) On December 22, Mukherjee addressed 122 Indian chiefs of 
mission in Delhi at a meeting that had been scheduled before the 
Mumbai attacks.  The meeting had previously been planned for August 
22 but was cancelled because of a Nuclear Supplier Group meeting on 
August 24 which was to consider a waiver for the U.S.-India Civil 
Nuclear Agreement.  In his speech to the Indian diplomats, Mukherjee 
covered the entire spectrum of Indian foreign affairs engagement - 
its context, achievements and challenges. 
 
¶3.  (U) In speaking about foreign relations with neighbors and the 
Mumbai attacks, Mukherjee said:  "In our neighborhood we have 
continued with our efforts to deepen engagement, either bilaterally 
or multilaterally and even by assuming a built-in asymmetry in 
responsibilities. An objective assessment shows that this policy has 
yielded results except with Pakistan. The recent terrorist attack on 
Mumbai was unprecedented both in terms of its scale and audacity. 
This and the series terrorist incidents preceding it including the 
attack on our embassy in Kabul, where we lost our colleagues 
indicate that terrorism emanating out of Pakistan is acquiring an 
increasingly dangerous dimension and continues to threaten peace and 
stability in this region and beyond." 
 
¶4.  (U) In his 2032 word speech, Mukherjee devoted the following 280 
words to Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai attacks: 
 
-- "We have so far worked at several levels. At the international 
level we have sought the support of the international community to 
put pressure on Pakistan to deal effectively with the terrorism. We 
have highlighted that the infrastructure of terrorism in Pakistan 
has to be dismantled permanently. We are not saying this just 
because we are affected but because we believe that it will be good 
for the entire world and also for Pakistani people and society. This 
terrorist infrastructure in Pakistan is the greatest terrorist 
danger to peace and security of the entire civilized world. There 
has been some effort s far by the international community but this 
is not enough. Much more needs to be done and the actions should be 
pursued to their logical conclusion. We need effective steps not 
only to bring those responsile for the Mumbai attacks to justice, 
but also to ensure that such acts of terrorism do not recur." 
 
-- "Unfortunately Pakistan's response so far has demonstrated their 
earlier tendency to resort to a policy of denial and to seek to 
deflect and shift the blame and responsibility. We expect civilian 
Government of Pakistan to take effective steps to deal with elements 
within Pakistan who still continue the use of terrorism as an 
instrument of state policy. We have so far acted with utmost 
restraint and are hopeful that international community will use its 
influence to urge Pakistani Government to take effective action. 
While we continue to persuade the international community and 
Pakistan we are also clear that ultimately it is we who have to deal 
with this problem. We will take all measures necessary as we deem 
fit to deal with the situation." 
 
¶5.  (U) On December 23, Pranab Mukherjee responded to reporters' 
question outside parliament.  The Times of India appears to have the 
most complete verbatim account of what he said:  "My request to our 
friends in Pakistan would be (that) they should address the issue. 
The issue is not creating war hysteria or raising accusing fingers 
 
NEW DELHI 00003236  002 OF 003 
 
 
at others," External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee told 
reporters outside Parliament.  "There has been a sinister, heinous 
terrorist attack on Mumbai from the elements in Pakistan. India has 
requested Pakistan to take action against the perpetrators of those 
attacks. We request Pakistan to act on our request," he said. 
 
UPA President Sonia Gandhi 
-------------------------- 
 
¶6.  (U) The text of Sonia Gandhi's remarks on December 21 while 
campaigning at Raubirsinghpura in Jammu is not available.  The 
following are excerpts from the media reporting on the speech: 
 
-- The Hindu:  Addressing an election rally here, just a few km from 
the International Border with Pakistan, Ms. Gandhi said it had been 
India's endeavor to have good relations with neighbors. "But our 
aspirations were not respected and our desire for having peace 
should not be treated as our weakness." She asked Islamabad to come 
(down) heavily on those who had been attacking India. "If that does 
not happen, we have the capability to give a befitting reply," she 
said amid a thunderous response from the gathering.  (Note: The 
balance of the Hindu article reports on Gandhi's comments 
highlighting the efforts of the United Progressive Alliance 
government's efforts in Jammu and Kashmir, listing its achievements 
and attacking the opposition National Democratic Alliance government 
for its non-performance when it was in power.) 
 
-- Indian Express: Sonia Gandhi stressed that India is competent to 
give a befitting reply to those who are continuously encouraging 
terrorism in their soil.  Sonia said India's desire for peace should 
not be taken as a sign of weakness.  "We have always tried to 
maintain brotherly relationships with our neighboring countries. The 
sad part is that our emotions have never been respected. I want to 
make one thing very clear that our wish on having peace and harmony 
should not be misunderstood as our weakness. People who are 
continuously encouraging terrorism from their soil, we want to tell 
them that we are competent of giving a befitting reply to them," she 
said." 
 
 
-- Asian News International (wire service):  Sonia said India's 
desire for peace should not be taken as a sign of weakness. "We have 
always tried to maintain brotherly relationship with our neighboring 
countries. The sad part is that our emotions have never been 
respected. I want to make one thing very clear that our wish or 
having peace and harmony should not be misunderstood as our 
weakness. People who are continuously encouraging terrorism from 
their soil, we want to tell them that we are competent of giving a 
befitting reply to them," she said.  (Note: The balance of the ANI 
story reports on Gandhi congratulating the people of Jammu and 
Kashmir for participating in large numbers in the ongoing assembly 
elections.) 
 
Prime Minister Manmohan Singh 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7.  (U) The Prime Minister addressed the Indian chiefs of mission on 
December 23.  The full text of his remarks is not available, but the 
Prime Minister's Office released a press statement which includes 
the following excerpt on terrorism: "Prime Minister referred to the 
international security environment, and said that threats such as 
terrorism and piracy required a well thought out strategy. India 
sought peace and stability in its neighborhood. The situation was 
however worrisome. Non-state actors were practicing terrorism aided 
and abetted by state establishments. The Mumbai terrorist attacks 
were an attack on India's ambitions to emerge as an economic power. 
India would not accept a situation where terrorism is used as an 
instrument to cripple India's economy or the values it stands for." 
 
 
¶8.  (U) Emerging from parliament on December 23, the Prime Minister 
 
NEW DELHI 00003236  003 OF 003 
 
 
made comments on Pakistan, in response to reporters' questions.  The 
most complete verbatim account of what he said appears to be in the 
Indian Express which reported: Speaking to reporters outside 
Parliament, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said: "What we want from 
Pakistan is to dismantle the terror machine. That is the one demand. 
This is in the interest of the people of India and Pakistan. The 
terror machine should be dismantled without any further loss. The 
issue is not war. The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan 
being used to promote, aid and abet terror here. I think that is the 
issue. Nobody wants war." 
 
The following is additional media reporting on the Prime Minister's 
remarks outside parliament on December 23: 
 
-- Times of India: 'India to Pak: Don't create war hysteria': Later 
talking to reporters outside parliament, Singh said India does not 
want war with Pakistan but would like Islamabad to dismantle the 
"terror machine" existing on its soil and the international 
community to use its "power" to persuade Islamabad to do so.  "The 
issue is not war. The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan 
being used to provoke, to aid and abet terrorism. I think that is 
the issue, the issue is not war. Nobody wants war," he said when 
asked to speak on the present standoff with Pakistan in the wake of 
Mumbai terror attacks. 
 
-- The Hindu 'Nobody wants war: Manmohan':  Prime Minister Manmohan 
Singh on Tuesday reiterated that India wanted Pakistan to dismantle 
the terror infrastructure and urged the international community to 
persuade Pakistan to put an end to terror.  "Nobody wants war," Dr. 
Singh said when asked by reporters outside Parliament House if war 
hysteria was being created on both sides. "The issue is not war, but 
terrorism being aided and abetted by Pakistan. We want Pakistan to 
make objective efforts to dismantle the terror infrastructure," he 
said. 
 
--AP: 'No one wants war': India's prime minister sought to lower 
tensions with neighboring Pakistan on Tuesday in the wake of the 
Mumbai attacks, saying 'nobody wants war.'  ..... 'The issue is not 
war, nobody wants war,' Prime Minister Manmohan Singh told 
reporters.  ...... 'The issue is terror and territory in Pakistan 
being used to promote and abet terrorism,' he said. 
 
MULFORD