WikiLeaks: India showed maturity,Roemer tells Sushma

With the WikiLeaks cables widely feared to strain Washington’s diplomatic ties with allies and friendly countries,the United States feels that India has handled the episode with “maturity”. The US,which launched a damage control exercise after the whistleblower website said it would release more than three million classified diplomatic cables,had also forewarned India that some of the communications from its missions in Pakistan and Afghanistan could be potentially embarrassing. On Wednesday,US Ambassador to India Timothy J Roemer called on Leader of the Opposition Sushma Swaraj. Sources said although the meeting,which lasted for an hour,was scheduled prior to the WikiLeaks releases and was essentially a follow-up of Obama’s India visit,the latest development did come up for discussion.Sources said Roemer conveyed to Swaraj that the Indian government has handled the WikiLeaks releases with “maturity”. The Ambassador told Swaraj that if further revelations by WikiLeaks were a cause for concern for the BJP,he would be willing to clarify the US position.“He said that if something comes out through WikiLeaks which causes concern,then we can talk it over. Please feel free to call me,” Swaraj said quoting Roemer. He said the Indian government has handled the matter very maturely and responsibly,she added.Interestingly,Swaraj is said to have told the US Ambassador that the Niira Radia tapes had created a somewhat similar controversy in India.