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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001266 
 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV PTER PK IR IN
SUBJECT: INDO-PAK TALKS: MEDIA REPORTS OF LEADERS' FIRST 
MEETING SINCE MUMBAI ATTACKS 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: Indian Prime Minister Singh and Pakistani 
President Zardari met on the sidelines of the Shanghai 
Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in Yekaterinburg June 
16, their first meeting since the Mumbai terrorist attacks 
last November.  Indian media widely applauded PM Singh's 
comments, crediting U.S. pressure for encouraging a mild thaw 
in relations.  Singh and Zardari directed their respective 
Foreign Secretaries to meet in late June or early July, and 
the two leaders agreed to meet again in Sharm El Sheikh on 
the sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit July 
¶16.  Foreign Secretary Menon cautioned, however, that the 
meeting did not constitute a resumption of the Composite 
Dialogue.  Separately, PM Singh also interacted with Iranian 
President Ahmedinejad on the margins of the SCO, but Delhi 
has yet to make any public statements on the disputed Iranian 
elections.  END SUMMARY. 
 
------------------ 
Indian Media Praise Singh,s Bold Approach, Credit U.S. Role 
------------------ 
 
¶2. Prime Minister Singh opened his planned one-on-one meeting 
with Pakistani President Zardari on the sidelines of the 
Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) summit in 
Yekaterinburg June 16 by asserting in the presence of media 
that "Pakistan territory should not be used for terrorism 
against India."  India's major dailies portrayed the meeting 
in a positive light, commending the Prime Minister's decision 
to engage Zardari while maintaining a tough stance toward 
Pakistan.  Press reporting presented Singh,s approach as 
"no-nonsense" and "blunt" and portrayed Zardari as being 
embarrassed by Singh's sharp initial remarks which were made 
in the presence of the press.  The Times of India 
characterized the meeting as an important step, saying, "the 
India-Pakistan chill is now officially over;" the Indian 
Express also led with the "First signs of Thaw in India-Pak 
26/11 Freeze". 
 
¶3. Several press reports credited U.S. pressure for helping 
to make the meeting between Delhi and Islamabad possible.  In 
a front-page timeline titled "From Attacks to Talks," the 
Hindustan Times linked the meeting to the message Under 
Secretary Burns delivered while in Delhi last week that the 
U.S. would be pleased to see increased dialogue between the 
two countries.  The Pioneer highlighted the U.S. reaction 
that a resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue was encouraging, 
and The Indian Express said the move sent out a signal to the 
U.S. that Delhi's step towards a dialogue with Islamabad 
shows that it is not "obstructionist." 
 
------------------ 
More Talks Expected This Summer, 
but No Composite Dialogue Yet 
------------------ 
 
¶4. Singh and Zardari directed their respective Foreign 
Secretaries to meet in late June or early July and the two 
leaders agreed to meet again in Sharm El Sheikh on the 
sidelines of the Non-Aligned Movement summit July 16, 
according to press reports.  While the media seemed eager to 
characterize the meeting in Yekaterinburg as the resumption 
of a formal dialogue with Pakistan, Foreign Secretary Menon 
was more cautious.  Avoiding suggestions that India gave in 
to pressure to start talks despite the lack of concrete 
action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, Menon 
said, "We can't wish away the factors that have disrupted the 
dialogue," adding that there were no plans to resume the 
Composite Dialogue process anytime soon. 
 
------------------ 
Silence on Disputed Iranian Election 
------------------ 
 
¶5. PM Singh also interacted with Iranian President 
Ahmedinejad on the margins of the SCO summit.  Although 
Indian media avidly reported on the Iranian Guardian 
 
NEW DELHI 00001266  002 OF 002 
 
 
Council's decision to recount votes from the disputed June 12 
election, the Indian Government has not yet issued an 
official statement. 
 
¶6. Post will obtain further information from GOI contacts 
after PM Singh and his delegation return from Russia. 
BURLEIGH