TELEGRAM RETRIEVED FROM DATABASE 3 November 93
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INFO ROUTINE ISLAMABAD, WASHINGTON, PEKING, UKMIS NEW YORK
VISIT OF DINESH SINGH
MUD 021 /2
RE
5 NOV 1993
USK OFFICEF
INDEX
Action Tara
(92)
Mlanatione I Support.
سل
SUMMARY
DİSCUSSION
MR GOODLAD MEETS INDIAN FOREIGN MINISTER. FRIENDLY. WIDE RANGE OF SUBJECTS CÖVERED IN LIMITED DETAIL OWING TO SHORT TIME. DINESH SINGH FRAIL BUT ARTICULATE.
1.
DETAIL
2.
GIVEN DINESH SINGH'S LACK OF MOBILITY MR GOODLAD CALLED ON HIM AT HIS HOTEL ON 24 AUGUST. DINESH SINGH WELCOMED THE EXCELLENT STATE OF INDO-BRITISH RELATIONS AND REAFFIRMED THE IMPORTANCE THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT ATTACHED TO FREQUENT AND SUBSTANTIVE EXCHANGES. THE ATMOSPHERE THROUGHOUT WAS FRIENDLY AND A NUMBER OF TOPICS WERE COVERED (SEE BELOW) BUT GIVEN THE SHORT TIME AVAILABLE THE SUBSTANCE WAS NECESSARILY LIMITED.
3.
THE FOLLOWING WERE THE MAIN POINTS WHICH AROSE:
ECONOMIC REFORM: THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT WAS FIRMLY COMMITTED AND GOOD PROGRESS WAS BEING MADE. MANY OF THE REMAINING PROBLEMS WERE WITHIN THE COMPETENCE OF STATE GOVERNMENTS.
A.
B. DOMESTIC POLITICS: THE OPPOSITION REALISED THAT THEY WERE UNABLE TO DISLODGE THE GOVERNMENT. OPPONENTS OF NARASIMHA RAO WITHIN CONGRESS REALISED THAT IF HE WERE TO BE OUSTED THERE WOULD HAVE TO BE ELECTIONS AND THEY WOULD DO BADLY. NONE OF THE OPPOSITION PARTIES WANTED ELECTIONS AT PRESENT. WHEN MR GOODLAD ASKED ABOUT THE PROSPECTS FOR FORTHCOMING STATE ELECTIONS DINESH SINGH SAID THAT CONGRESS OPTIMISM WAS RISING. THEY WOULD DO BETTER PROVIDED THEY PRESENTED A UNITED FRONT THOUGH THEY WOULD PROBABLY NOT FORM GOVERNMENTS IN ALL FOUR STATES. THERE WERE ALREADY SERIOUS SPLITS APPARENT WITHIN THE BJP ORGANISATIONS IN THE STATES.
C.
INDO-PAKISTAN RELATIONS: NO PROSPECT OF SERIOUS EXCHANGES IN THE PRESENT SITUATION. INDIA WANTED A STABLE GOVERNMENT IN PAKISTAN IN ORDER TO HAVE A MEANINGFUL DIALOGUE. DINESH SINGH SAID THAT IF WE COULD PERSUADE PAKISTAN TO STOP SUPPORTING QUOTE TERRORISM UNQUOTE THE INDIAN GOVERNMENT COULD BEGIN THE POLITICAL PROCESS IN KASHMIR (MR GOODLAD CONFIRMED THAT WE HAD MADE CLEAR TO THE PAKISTANIS THAT THEY SHOULD NOT SUPPORT THE MILITANTS).
D.
HUMAN RIGHTS: MR GOODLAD WELCOMED THE BILL TO ESTABLISH THE HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION BUT DREW ATTENTION TO CONCERNS ABOUT THE EXCLUSION OF THE SECURITY FORCES FROM ITS AMBIT. BOTH DINESH SINGH AND SINGHVI (WHO HAD RETURNED THAT MORNING) DID NOT RULE OUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CHANGES DURING THE PARLIAMENTARY PROCESS. MR GOODLAD ALSO WELCOMED THE DECISION TO ALLOW HUMAN RIGHTS GROUPS TO VISIT INDIA. WE HAD URGED AMNESTY INTERNATIONAL NOT TO CONCENTRATE ON KASHMIR TO THE EXCLUSION OF ALL OTHER AREAS. SINGHVI