MEDIA REACTION: INDO-U.S. NUCLEAR DEAL, U.S.

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 002613 STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATE FOR AID/APRE-A USDOC FOR 4530/IEP/ANESA/OSA FOR BILL MURPHY E.O. 12958:N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDO-U.S. NUCLEAR DEAL, U.S. ECONOMY, TERRORIST ATTACK, U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS; NEW DELHI. This cable reports on relevant media reaction from India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi reports on English-language media via email in the daily "Early Edition". USG customers please write to Geeta Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early Edition." -------------- U.S.-INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL -------------- ¶1. "JUST A STEP AWAY," editorial in the September 29 AMAR UJLA Hindi daily: "The U.S.-India nuclear deal is just a step away from its conclusion after the approval by the U.S. House of Representatives. Now there will be a discussion on the deal in the senate. The U.S. Congress' clearance is just a formality and it is pretty evident from the U.S. attitude itself.... The Bush Administration has purposely scheduled the visit of U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, in the first week of October so that she can sign the deal. It means the 123 agreement will soon be wrapped up after the final clearance by the U.S. Senate. Both George Bush and Manmohan Singh will, certainly, benefit from this. Besides the political advantage, this pact will not only enhance our development but our image at international level." ¶2. "ANOTHER ACHIEVEMENT," editorial in the September 29 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The U.S. House of Representatives has cleared the 123 agreement and its final approval in the U.S. Congress is nothing but a formality. After the NSG waiver, it is another historic achievement for India. The U.S.-India nuclear deal will take the bilateral relations to new heights and it will also improve India's international reputation. This is the right time for India to remove all the obstacles in the path of obtaining benefits of the nuclear deal. It should get the nuclear technology, fuel and other necessary materials without further delay. But, India will have to ensure that its foreign policy is not just independent but it also gives such impression. India should now emerge as a mature, systematic and responsible nation. The national leadership at present seems incapable of fighting with problems like corruption, terrorism and anarchy etc because of the lack of interest of finding their permanent solution." -------------- U.S. ECONOMY -------------- ¶3. "AMERICAN FINANCIAL QUAKE: GREED BREEDS PERIL" op-ed article by guest columnist and general secretary of the Mumbai unit of Bharatiya Janata Party Atul Bhatkhalkar (who was USG's International Visitor in 2005) in the September 30, 2008, Mumbai edition of left-of-center Marathi daily LOKSATTA. "Market booms and busts are part of an inevitable cycle, but the current U.S. credit crisis is a scenario that could have been averted. The problem is that the Bush administration allowed the massive shift of the flow of investment capital to the speculative transactions and could not retain much in the productive economy. The operations of big corporations were deregulated and a huge amount of wealth was transferred to the hands of a tiny financial elite. Naturally, the irresponsibility of these unrestricted financial institutions led the US economy to the brink of collapse. No bailout plans, which are being touted by the Treasury Secretary as panacea as of now, will solve the deep structural problems that have developed over the last eight years of Bush administration... This collapse is also due to the failure of a culture, a culture of unchecked greed and capitalism... The government cannot blame the companies for having failed to maintain adequate capital or for indulging in reckless speculation or creating new complex derivatives. The companies merely focused on short-term profits at the expense of sustainability and for which their TOP bosses got huge bonuses. But this recklessness was possible only because of governmental incompetence..." -------------- TERRORIST ATTACK -------------- ¶4. "BLAST IN DELHI, YET AGAIN", editorial in the September 29 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "The capital Delhi has been rocked again by a terrorist act. The investigations and subsequent arrests in connection with the previous blasts were going on, when the city has been sent into shivers once again. Till a few months back, the entire focus of police was on HUJI and Bangladeshis were being accused, then it was SIMI which took the latter's place and now it is the Indian Mujahideen. There have been holes in the police story even in matters of such gravity. The police shall never be able to track the real culprits if it continues to have a prejudiced investigation, while more bomb blasts could be seen in future. The police should try to have more transparency in its functioning and let the people of the community & the country know, if an encounter like the one at Jamia Nagar takes place, since the credibility of this encounter has been challenged by a large section of the populace." ¶5. "STUDENTS OF JAMIA MILLIA", editorial in the September 28 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "For the last few years, Muslim youth, particularly the students are being increasingly harassed and targeted in the name of terrorism. A fake encounter took place in Delhi and subsequently, two students belonging to the Jamia Millia Islamia were arrested on the grounds of being suspected terrorists. When the vice chancellor of the university spoke of providing legal aid to the arrested students, he was widely criticized. It is noteworthy to mention that the police had picked up two students of the university in the aftermath of the September 13 serial blasts in Delhi. The police have waged a war against Muslims on the directions of communal forces. Till when would we continue to wait, for it is an issue which directly concerns the future of our children in India?" ¶6. "BEWARE OF DIVISIVE FORCES", editorial in the September 29 right-of-center Urdu daily "INQUILAB", Mumbai: "An important opinion poll has been conducted jointly by the media houses CNN-IBN and the Hindustan Times regarding terror. One of the questions put forth was, whether it is appropriate to associate Muslims with terrorism? In response, 54 percent people said yes, while 46 per cent said no. This survey poll is a clear indication as to how fast the idea of association of Muslims with terrorism is getting embedded in the minds of the common people. Muslims & other people with secular credentials in the country have often been reiterating it to the government agencies & the media that, if efforts are continued to be made to associate Muslims with terrorism, its consequences shall be disastrous. However, no heed has been paid & whenever a terrorist act happens, it is immediately linked up with Muslims. When LTTE and ULFA wreaked havoc in the country, they were not connected with any religion, but now the recent unfortunate happenings are being associated with Muslims." -------------- U.S.-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶7. "BRITISH SOLDIER'S ADVICE FOR AMERICA", editorial in the September 29 right-of-center Urdu daily "URDU TIMES", New Delhi: "Two days back, the Waziristan area of Pakistan came under aerial attacks. The American warplanes attacked the Taliban hideouts in tribal areas, resulting in the loss of lives of hundreds of innocents. President Bush has already given the green signal for military action in the Pakistani territory in July 2008. According to an American army officer, President Bush's instructions talk about informing Pakistan about any such incursion, instead of seeking permission, since America need not seek permission from Pakistan. The 'new West Asia' plan of Zionists includes the division of Saudi Arabia & then Pakistan. Going by the Zionist mindset, more destruction is required to be done in Muslim countries, if Israel has to be made more secure. However, if we look at the prevailing situation in the world & learn lessons from history, the decline of Zionist regime is near and certain." WHITE