Post cablegate, U.S. welcomes India’s global leadership role

In damage control mode after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remarks on India’s UNSC bid, U.S. Ambassador Timothy J. Roemer said Washington values New Delhi’s perspectives on how to meet common challenges. File photo

The U.S. on Tuesday said it welcomes a greater global leadership role for India, two days after its Secretary of State Hillary Clinton’s remark describing India as a “self-appointed frontrunner” for a permanent UNSC seat was leaked.

“We regret and condemn any unauthorised disclosures of confidential information and sensitive national security information,” U.S. Ambassador to India Timothy J. Roemer said while reacting to the release of diplomatic cables by whistle-blower Website WikiLeaks.

“By releasing these documents, WikiLeaks puts at risk the cause of human rights, the lives and work of dedicated individuals, and threatens our ability to conduct essential private and diplomatic dialogue,” he said.

As part of its massive leak of a quarter million classified documents of the U.S. government, the Website released a “secret” cable issued by Ms. Clinton where she has described India as a “self-appointed frontrunner” for a permanent UNSC seat.

She had also directed U.S. envoys to seek minute details about Indian diplomats stationed at the United Nations headquarters, according to classified documents released by WikiLeaks.

Mr. Roemer said, “The U.S. welcomes a greater global leadership role for India and values its perspectives on how to meet common challenges, including countering terrorism, securing our maritime domains, and working together to promote democratic, political and economic development around the world.”

In an apparent damage control, Mr. Roemer said during Barack Obama’s visit to India, the U.S. President “reiterated that the relationship between the U.S. and India, bound by our shared interests and our shared values, will be one of the defining partnerships of the 21st century.”

Mr. Obama’s stay in India, the longest foreign trip of his Presidency to date, underscores the U.S. commitment to a long term strategic partnership with India, he said

The President supports responsible, accountable, and open government at home and around the world, but this reckless and dangerous action runs counter to that goal, he said.

“The U.S. government is committed to maintaining the security of our diplomatic communications and is moving aggressively to hold accountable those responsible,” Mr. Roemer said.