US says neutrality put Delhi in Moscow camp; recalls cable: report

The cable, rated sensitive but unclassified, was sent to US embassies in nearly 50 countries represented at the UN Human Rights Council on Monday, but was recalled on Tuesday afternoon, Axios reported.

“The language in question was never intended for clearance and the cable was released in error, which is why it was recalled,” a US State Department spokesperson said on Wednesday.

“The inquiry was not the reason for the recall.”

A US embassy spokesperson in New Delhi told The Indian Express on Thursday night, “As the [US State Department] spokesperson stated, the cable included inaccurate language and was released in error.”

The embassy spokesperson said, “The United States continues to engage with our partners in India and around the world to discuss the importance of a strong collective response to Russia’s invasion of Ukraine. India has expressed its deep concern over the situation in Ukraine and has reiterated its call for immediate cessation of violence and an end to hostilities. As India has stated, ‘all member states of the United Nations are not only obliged to follow the UN Charter but to respect international law and territorial integrity and sovereignty of states’.”

On Wednesday, the UN General Assembly passed a resolution — with support of 141 countries — “deploring” Russia’s aggression against Ukraine. While India abstained; the UAE voted for it.

Last week, India, the UAE and China abstained on a US-sponsored Security Council resolution that condemned Moscow’s “aggression.” Russia ultimately vetoed it. The UAE’s decision to abstain was largely due to frustrations over the US response to an attack on Abu Dhabi six weeks earlier.

The recalled cable suggested some candid language for US diplomats to use to try and persuade India and the UAE to change their positions. “Continuing to call for dialogue, as you have been doing in the Security Council, is not a stance of neutrality; it places you in Russia’s camp, the aggressor in this conflict,” according to draft talking points in the cable, a template for conversations with Indian and Emirati diplomats.

“We strongly encourage you to take the opportunity to support Ukraine in HRC [Human Rights Council], an opportunity you failed to seize in the UNSC.”