Zardari to Patterson: ‘Indian involvement in Mumbai attacks’

[sparklingway]

‘India helped Mumbai attacks’​

By Jawed Naqvi | From the Newspaper

NEW Delhi, March 21: President Asif Ali Zardari told US Senator John Kerry last year that he believed the Indian government was involved in the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai, according to WikiLeaks cables partly published by The Hindu on Monday.

In her cable to Washington, US Ambassador Anne Patterson spoke of Mr Zardari’s trust in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She said he did not hold the same view of others in the Indian government.

“Zardari agreed dialogue is the only way forward. However, he justified continued suspicion of India, citing recent ‘confirmation’ that there was Indian involvement in the Mumbai attacks,” a part of the original cable not published by The Hindu said, quoting Ms Patterson’s privileged communication about the president’s talks with Mr Kerry and his delegation.

Mr Zardari “claimed India had increased its military spending 30 per cent this year and described this as a direct threat to Pakistan. When Kerry pointed out the Chinese threat to India, Zardari responded that Indian tanks cannot operate in the Chinese border region and could only be intended for an attack on Pakistan. India has 4,700 tanks, he explained, while Pakistan has only 2,600. Capability creates a fear,” he added.

Ms Patterson said Mr Kerry opened his February 16 talks with the president by referring to the Senator’s recent talks with Dr Singh and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“Kerry said Singh was “very open” to negotiation with Pakistan, starting with the upcoming discussions between Pakistan and India’s Foreign Secretaries. Kerry said that cooperation on counter-terrorism with the Indians could lead to Indian compromises on key Pakistani issues such as Kashmir and water use in subsequent meetings. Kerry encouraged the GOP to come up with specific offers to which the GOI could
respond.”

The disclosure of the secret cable, which was obviously never intended for Indian or Pakistani audience, suggests that Mr Zardari and the Pakistani establishment truly believe in Indian complicity in the terror attack and that it was not meant to score propaganda points over New Delhi.

Ms Patterson’s dispatch was published barely a week before Indian and Pakistani home secretaries meet for talks in New Delhi that are being clearly encouraged by Washington.

The US ambassador further wrote: “Kerry said Zardari should put his concerns on the negotiating table as there was a real opportunity for productive conversation between India and Pakistan now: You could arrive at a surprising consensus of mutual understanding. Zardari conceded that Singh deserved respect, but said he was not confident about the rest of the Indian government.”

http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/22/india-helped-mumbai-attacks.html

 

[Mutee]

That's something new and shocking oh boy

 

[Vassnti]

‘India helped Mumbai attacks’​

By Jawed Naqvi | From the Newspaper

NEW Delhi, March 21: President Asif Ali Zardari told US Senator John Kerry last year that he believed the Indian government was involved in the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai, according to WikiLeaks cables partly published by The Hindu on Monday.

http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/22/india-helped-mumbai-attacks.html

Couple of questions, one we know a few papers have been faking "wiki Leak" cables to push their own agendas/sell a few more papers, how reliable is "The Hindu" as a news paper?

Second seriously do normal people in Pakistan believe India hired a bunch of gunmen to slaughter people just to make Pakistan look bad?

I hope the Hindu turns out to be a trash paper pushing an political agenda before the talks. I can understand a Zardari that is corrupt, I can understand a Zardari that is incompetent but one that believes India staged an elaborate murder of its own people to make Pakistan look bad needs a psychiatric examination for symptoms of paranoia and some one to say quietly Mr. President please step away from the big red button.

 

[toxic_pus]

Couple of questions, one we know a few papers have been faking "wiki Leak" cables to push their own agendas/sell a few more papers, how reliable is "The Hindu" as a news paper?

Second seriously do normal people in Pakistan believe India hired a bunch of gunmen to slaughter people just to make Pakistan look bad?

I hope the Hindu turns out to be a trash paper pushing an political agenda before the talks.

The Hindu is one of the most reliable newspapers in India. Anyway, here is the original cable.

250192 2/23/2010 11:44 10 ISLAMABAD 428 Embassy Islamabad SECRET 10 ISLAMABAD 399 "VZCZCXRO0810OO RUEHLH RUEHPWDE RUEHIL #0428/01 0541144ZNY SSSSS ZZHO 231144Z FEB 10FM AMEMBASSY ISLAMABADTO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7503INFO RUEHBUL/AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 1523RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2489RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 6135RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 2946RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 8554RUEHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 7611RUEAIIA/CIA WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITYRUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRHEHNSC/NSC WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITYRUMICEA/USCENTCOM INTEL CEN MACDILL AFB FL PRIORITY" "S E C R E T SECTION 01 OF 03 ISLAMABAD 000428

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/16/2020 TAGS: PGOV, PREL, ECON, ETRD, IN, PK

SUBJECT: SENATOR KERRY MEETS WITH PAKISTANI PRESIDENT ZARDARI

REF: ISLAMABAD 399

Classified By: Ambassador Anne W. Patterson for reasons 1.4 (b, d).

1. (C) Summary: In a February 16 meeting with President Zardari, Senator Kerry said that India was ""very open"" to constructive talks with Pakistan, and urged Pakistan to reach an agreement with India on counter terrorism. Zardari said with U.S. support, talks could move forward. He said he doubted broad talks with the Taliban were possible, specific regional efforts might succeed. Pakistan was fighting militants in Pakistan on a ""shoe-string"" budget, but Zardari said that he was committed to finding ways to undermine the pull towards militancy in Pakistani society. Kerry said that the GOP needed to rebuild conflict-affected areas to cement military gains against the insurgency. Kerry encouraged Zardari to develop trade agreements with Pakistan's neighbors and agreed to Zardari's request to build consensus for liberalizing U.S. trade with Pakistan. Zardari lamented that he was ""a casualty of the world recession,"" and requested U.S. support to relieve IMF conditions on the Pakistani economy. He said he needed ""a deal"" with the United States to strengthen his political position. End Summary.

Encouraging an Indo-Pak Agreement

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

2. (C) Senator John Kerry opened the February 16 meeting with President Asif Ali Zardari by referring to his recent talks with Indian PM Manmohan Singh and Pakistani PM Yousuf Raza Gilani (reftel). Kerry said Singh was ""very open"" to negotiation with Pakistan, starting with the upcoming discussions between Pakistan and India's Foreign Secretaries. Kerry said that cooperation on counter terrorism with the Indians could lead to Indian compromises on key Pakistani issues such as Kashmir and water use in subsequent meetings. Kerry encouraged the GOP to come up with specific offers to which the GOI could respond.

3. (C) Zardari agreed dialogue is the only way forward. However, he justified continued suspicion of India, citing recent ""confirmation"" that there was Indian involvement in the Mumbai attacks. He claimed India had increased its military spending 30 percent this year and described this as a direct threat to Pakistan. When Kerry pointed out the Chinese threat to India, Zardari responded that Indian tanks cannot operate in the Chinese border region and could only be intended for an attack on Pakistan. India has 4,700 tanks, he explained, while Pakistan has only 2,600. ""Capability creates a fear,"" he added.

4. (C) Kerry said Zardari should put his concerns on the negotiating table as there was a real opportunity for productive conversation between India and Pakistan now: ""You could arrive at a surprising consensus of mutual understanding."" Zardari conceded that Singh deserved respect, but said he was not confident about the rest of the Indian government.

Zardari,s Take on Afghanistan and Iran

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

5. (C) Kerry asked Zardari what affect President Obama's announcement of a U.S. drawdown date had had on the possibility of success in Afghanistan. Zardari answered that it had given a boost to those fighting against the United States, but that they ""live in illusion."" Zardari doubted that the U.S. would actually leave Afghanistan in two and a half years, adding that ""no one can afford that."" Kerry asked if dialogue with the Taliban was possible. Zardari gave a qualified yes: in specific regions, like Quetta, dialogue might be possible, but on a larger scale it was not. Kerry asked to what degree events in Iran have an impact in Pakistan. Zardari said Iran needs to be engaged, and recounted his visit to Iran as an emissary of the ""free world.""

Pakistan's Fight Against Militants

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

ISLAMABAD 00000428 002 OF 003

6. (C) Kerry noted that, with the December mosque bombing in Rawalpindi, Pakistani terrorism had changed. He asked if Pakistan was going to commit to doing whatever it takes to get rid of extremism. Zardari replied that he was thinking of the future and what will win people away from extremism in ten or fifteen years. He added, however, that he was ""fighting a war on a shoestring budget.""

7. (C) Kerry said the GOP needed to rebuild the conflict-affected areas as soon as possible. He explained that new roads, power plants, and health clinics need to go in quickly or any progress made in vanquishing the militants and extremists would be lost. Zardari agreed but added that the war went beyond these areas. He explained that when a U.S. soldier leaves Afghanistan, he no longer fears for his life; when a Pakistani soldier leaves the conflict areas, however, he has to worry that militants might target him in his home in Punjab or Sindh.

Trade, not Aid

- - - - - - -

8. (C) Zardari complained that Reconstruction Opportunity Zones (ROZs) were too confined and requested broader trade concessions for Pakistan. Kerry said that, given the increase in troops in Afghanistan and the subsequent increased U.S. demand on Pakistan, he would see if greater trading concessions for Pakistan as a whole could be included in an upcoming security package.

9. (C) Kerry warned, however, that his ability to push for a liberalized trade agreement between Pakistan and the U.S. was directly tied to Pakistan's democratic stability and continued cooperation in supporting Afghanistan and defeating terrorists. Every time there is a ""hiccough"" in Pakistan's support, Kerry explained, Congress waivers on giving Pakistan additional concessions or aid. As Pakistan was a new democracy, Zardari said there would naturally be many ""hiccoughs,"" but added, ""message understood."" Kerry said that Pakistan also needed to create trade agreements with its neighbors, which would let the Pakistani public know that the GOP was committed to real economic improvement.

Pakistan Nuclear Assistance

- - - - - - - - - - - - - -

10. (S) Kerry said that the lingering A.Q. Khan network remained ""an albatross"" around Pakistan's neck. Pakistan's ability to reach a new security arrangement with India and the increased strength of Pakistan's democratic institutions would be necessary conditions for the U.S. to consider civilian nuclear assistance to Pakistan.

Something for the People of Pakistan

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

11. (C) Zardari expressed his gratitude for U.S. assistance to Pakistan. He opined that he was ""a casualty of the world recession"" and needed something to give his people, as all they had since he came to power were price increases. Zardari requested that the USG weigh in with the IMF against further electricity tariff increases. Another increase, he warned, would result in riots in the streets. However, Zardari promised to broaden the tax base and implement a Value-added Tax (VAT), as required by the IMF Stand-by Arrangement.

12. (C) Zardari said poverty, uncertainty, and the lack of educational and employment opportunities undermined Pakistan's potential as well as his political standing. Zardari said he needs a ""deal"" to show his people that he has something to offer them, and that assistance and trade concessions were prerequisites to ""be able to think about India.""

13. (U) This cable was drafted after Senator Kerry departed Pakistan.

14. (U) Participants

ISLAMABAD 00000428 003 OF 003

United States

Senator John Kerry

Ambassador Anne W. Patterson

Dr. Jonah Blank, Senior PSM, SFRC

Ms. Fatema Sumar, PSM, SFRC

LCDR Greg Kausner, Military Liaison

Wendy Nassmacher, Embassy Notetaker

Pakistan

President Ali Asif Zardari

Defense Minister Chaudhry Ahmed Mukhtar

Interior Minister Rehman Malik

Finance Minister Shaukat Tarin

Senator Syeda Sughra Hussain Imam

Foreign Secretary Salman Bashir

Presidential Chief of Staff Salman Faruqi

Presidential Media Advisor Farahnaz Ispahani

PATTERSON

Your assessment of Zardari, and by extension, Pakistani leadership, is frighteningly accurate.

I can understand a Zardari that is corrupt, I can understand a Zardari that is incompetent but one that believes India staged an elaborate murder of its own people to make Pakistan look bad needs a psychiatric examination for symptoms of paranoia and some one to say quietly Mr. President please step away from the big red button.

 

[bandit]

That's something new and shocking oh boy

Why is that shocking?
I thought most of Pakistan labelled Zardari as incompetent and a fool!!

Couple of questions, one we know a few papers have been faking "wiki Leak" cables to push their own agendas/sell a few more papers, how reliable is "The Hindu" as a news paper?

I'd rather believe Zardari to be paranoid and mentally challenged than Hindu faking a wikileak.

 

[bandit]

Well this one seems most definitely to be a false leak

The leak is definitely true as posted above, the problem is with Zardari making such statements to foreign diplomats as the President of Pakistan!!!

 

[angel eyes]

‘India helped Mumbai attacks’​

By Jawed Naqvi | From the Newspaper

NEW Delhi, March 21: President Asif Ali Zardari told US Senator John Kerry last year that he believed the Indian government was involved in the 2008 terror attacks on Mumbai, according to WikiLeaks cables partly published by The Hindu on Monday.

In her cable to Washington, US Ambassador Anne Patterson spoke of Mr Zardari’s trust in Indian Prime Minister Manmohan Singh. She said he did not hold the same view of others in the Indian government.

“Zardari agreed dialogue is the only way forward. However, he justified continued suspicion of India, citing recent ‘confirmation’ that there was Indian involvement in the Mumbai attacks,” a part of the original cable not published by The Hindu said, quoting Ms Patterson’s privileged communication about the president’s talks with Mr Kerry and his delegation.

Mr Zardari “claimed India had increased its military spending 30 per cent this year and described this as a direct threat to Pakistan. When Kerry pointed out the Chinese threat to India, Zardari responded that Indian tanks cannot operate in the Chinese border region and could only be intended for an attack on Pakistan. India has 4,700 tanks, he explained, while Pakistan has only 2,600. Capability creates a fear,” he added.

Ms Patterson said Mr Kerry opened his February 16 talks with the president by referring to the Senator’s recent talks with Dr Singh and Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani.

“Kerry said Singh was “very open” to negotiation with Pakistan, starting with the upcoming discussions between Pakistan and India’s Foreign Secretaries. Kerry said that cooperation on counter-terrorism with the Indians could lead to Indian compromises on key Pakistani issues such as Kashmir and water use in subsequent meetings. Kerry encouraged the GOP to come up with specific offers to which the GOI could
respond.”

The disclosure of the secret cable, which was obviously never intended for Indian or Pakistani audience, suggests that Mr Zardari and the Pakistani establishment truly believe in Indian complicity in the terror attack and that it was not meant to score propaganda points over New Delhi.

Ms Patterson’s dispatch was published barely a week before Indian and Pakistani home secretaries meet for talks in New Delhi that are being clearly encouraged by Washington.

The US ambassador further wrote: “Kerry said Zardari should put his concerns on the negotiating table as there was a real opportunity for productive conversation between India and Pakistan now: You could arrive at a surprising consensus of mutual understanding. Zardari conceded that Singh deserved respect, but said he was not confident about the rest of the Indian government.”

http://www.dawn.com/2011/03/22/india-helped-mumbai-attacks.html

Why is this point of view not supported by any world media apart from pakistan media, even by the media of islamic nations?

If these charges are true, even by a fraction, then why isin't any other islamic nation and even chinese(best buddy of pakistan) are supporting??

This type of misleading news articles are published only in pakistani media and the best part is that one will find that most of the people in pakistan do buy this crap.

Its only pakistan who is making a fool out of itself by making such idiotic comments.

 

[Mutee]

I am not going to defend him he's paranoid and corrupt we need a new leader someone who can guide us to the right path we are fed up with these clowns all they they do is find new ways to mint money nothing else and don't worry we are trying to get rid off him

 

[CardSharp]

‘India helped Mumbai attacks’​

By Jawed Naqvi | From the Newspaper

Nonsense why would India help embarrass itself in such a dismal security failure. Don't you think that if it was a planned job that they'd at least be prepared for it, in order to look vigilant and effective?

 

[Vinod2070]

This Jawed Naqwi guy is a pathetic fool. An utter crap and idiot.

I am surprised Indian media gives him space for writing his BS.

 

[Silk]

I think the best way forward is to have India and Pakistan talking together and starting economical zones to trade with eachother. Whether they both like it or not, they are both responsible for the past and future. Asking USA to negotiate is stupid. Who trust an international terrorist? Kashmir should be moved from warzone to economic zone. Less army, less costs and we will see how the people of Kashmir evolve. India will not give away precious land, neither will Pakistan. So we should focus on what is possible and what is best for the people of Kashmir. To be simple. Both nations are huge, nuclear and have massive military apparatus. It is time for both nations to have smart politicians.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Couple of questions, one we know a few papers have been faking "wiki Leak" cables to push their own agendas/sell a few more papers, how reliable is "The Hindu" as a news paper?

As pointed out, the newspaper is in fact one of the more credible and balanced ones in India, far better than the Times of India, Hindustan Times etc. (though the latter two are far bigger from what I understand), and the leaks themselves are real.

Second seriously do normal people in Pakistan believe India hired a bunch of gunmen to slaughter people just to make Pakistan look bad?

Yes - distrust of India is extremely high, and this sentiment is similar to the sentiment in the larger Muslim world that the 9/11 attacks were orchestrated by the CIA/Mossad in order to justify invasions of Muslim countries. In Pakistan's case, the motive would revolve around India (or hard liners in India) seeking to isolate Pakistan internationally and avoiding talks on the Kashmir dispute, which if you remember was progressing towards some sort of a quasi settlement through the back channel talks begun under Musharraf.

The 9/11 conspiracy theories are believed by many in the West as well (though not a majority I would say) , and far more in the Muslim world and elsewhere, so such positions are not exclusive to Pakistanis.

I hope the Hindu turns out to be a trash paper pushing an political agenda before the talks. I can understand a Zardari that is corrupt, I can understand a Zardari that is incompetent but one that believes India staged an elaborate murder of its own people to make Pakistan look bad needs a psychiatric examination for symptoms of paranoia and some one to say quietly Mr. President please step away from the big red button.

It isn't really that far fetched a position for people to cling to when there is such a huge amount of distrust and hostility on both sides, given similar positions held by many over the 9/11 attacks. Zardari has never been viewed as a 'highly intelligent man' in any case. It is surprising in that Zardari was/is considered very pro-normalization with India.

 

[Kinetic]

Couple of questions, one we know a few papers have been faking "wiki Leak" cables to push their own agendas/sell a few more papers, how reliable is "The Hindu" as a news paper?

The Hindu is one of the oldest and respected newspaper in India. Its widely sold in south India. started in 1878 as a weekly, became a daily in 1889 and from then on has been steadily growing to the circulation of 14,66,304 copies (ABC: July-December 2009) and a readership of about 4.06 million. That is impossible to make them fake wikileaks and Julian Assenge already accused Indian PM for rubbishing wikileaks published by the Hindu.

About Zardari's thinking, no comment. Conspiracy, is the most common now a days in Pakistan.

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

On average, 46 percent of those surveyed said al Qaeda was responsible, 15 percent said the U.S. government, 7 percent said Israel and 7 percent said some other perpetrator. One in four people said they did not know who was behind the attacks.

The poll was conducted by WorldPublicOpinion.org, a collaborative project of research centers in various countries managed by the Program on International Policy Attitudes at the University of Maryland in the United States.

In Europe, al Qaeda was cited by 56 percent of Britons and Italians, 63 percent of French and 64 percent of Germans. The U.S. government was to blame, according to 23 percent of Germans and 15 percent of Italians.

Respondents in the Middle East were especially likely to name a perpetrator other than al Qaeda, the poll found.

Israel was behind the attacks, said 43 percent of people in Egypt, 31 percent in Jordan and 19 percent in the Palestinian Territories. The U.S. government was blamed by 36 percent of Turks and 27 percent of Palestinians.

In Mexico, 30 percent cited the U.S. government and 33 percent named al Qaeda.

The only countries with overwhelming majorities blaming al Qaeda were Kenya with 77 percent and Nigeria with 71 percent.

No consensus on who was behind Sept 11: global poll | Reuters

 

[AgNoStiC MuSliM]

Apparently the Pakistani media reported this back in December 2010, and it was discussed on this forum as well:
http://www.defence.pk/forums/curren...otted-mumbai-attacks-leaks-quote-zardari.html