MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL, GLOBAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002643 SIPDIS 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: U.S.-INDIA NUCLEAR DEAL, GLOBAL ECONOMY: EXPANDING FINANCIAL MARKET CRISIS, PAKISTAN / U.S, PAKISTAN, TERRORISM; 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. "INDIA DID IT" editorial in October 3 Kolkata Bengali independent ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "... As if ridiculing those of his allies...who regard the agreement as America's imperialist design, Manmohan Singh signed a nuclear deal with the French President... That Manmohan could come back with a deal from the shores of the Seine even before...Condoleezza Rice and ... Pranab Mukherjee ink the deal is a significant development. Now, Russia, Britain, and even China may come forward to supply fuel to India's nuclear reactors. This is, no doubt, an admirable achievement for a country, which has been isolated for more than three and a half decades in global nuclear trade, and was subjected to economic and technological sanctions after the Pokhran test." ¶2. "A HISTORICAL OPPORTUNITY" editorial in the October 3, 2008, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "U.S. Senate's stamp of approval to the U.S.-India nuclear deal spells a crucial development, not just for India and the U.S., but for the entire world. The civilian deal has now overcome the last hurdle. India is jubilant but it needs to also note down the various objections raised by some Democrats in the senate. These senators fear that India's nuclear program will be `misused', much on the lines of the ones in North Korea and Iran. It is rather unfair to compare India with North Korea and Iran. India's track record over the last 60 years proves the peaceful nature of its civilian nuclear program. India is not agreeable to any nuclear proliferation treaty or a nuclear test ban. But that is only because of the prejudiced nature of these pacts, and not because India wants to indulge in any illegal nuclear business. The Democrats opposing the U.S.-India nuclear deal should have taken all these factors into consideration. But thankfully the deal has been passed despite their objections. The ones who have taken the initiative in pushing the deal through are able to place India well in the emerging geopolitics...". Similar editorials appeared in Marathi daylies LOKSATTA and LOKMAT of October 3, 2008. ¶3. "ONE TWO THREE" editorial in the October 3, 2008 multi-edition centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR. "The U.S. Senate formal approval of the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal has removed the last of hurdles in the implementation of this agreement. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi to sign the deal will see this agreement's takeoff.... While the Congress has welcomed this by saying that the agreement has ended India's nuclear isolation, the Left and BJP NEW DELHI 00002643 002 OF 004 have criticized this as India's surrender to the U.S. What the opposing parties need to understand is that this is India's victory as India will be now be able to import nuclear energy without signing the NPT.... This accord has not only displayed Prime Minister Singh's leadership skills in Indian politics but has also secured India a place of prominence on the international center stage." ¶4. "END OF NUCLEAR APARTHEID," editorial in October 2 RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The India-France civil nuclear agreement is as per expectations. In fact, Prime Minister Manmohan Singh wanted to sign the agreement with the U.S. first and then with other nations, but it could not happen. The U.S. does not have any reason to oppose it. This pact was necessary because it will now remove the hesitation if some countries still have any even after the NSG waiver. Actually, the nuclear apartheid racism has practically ended only after this agreement. If a country does not agree to cooperate then the IAEA and NSG clearances are meaningless. In this context this deal is historic because France will supply nuclear reactors, technology and fuel to India. This nuclear agreement with France has, actually, ended India's 34- year-old nuclear drought." -------------- -------------- GLOBAL ECONOMY: EXPANDING FINANCIAL MARKET CRISIS -------------- -------------- ¶5. "THE CONSEQUENCE OF POLITICS" editorial in October 2 Kolkata Bengali centrist ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "...No doubt, the rejection of the proposal at the first instance has landed the administration in a crisis but why did it happen? In one word, it is for two reasons: economic and political. To pump in funds from the Federal Reserve to rescue the giant financial institutions amounts to reflection of their callousness and misdeeds. They are facing trouble because of their own acts, which in many cases, is their extreme greed. Now utilizing the taxpayers' money to save them will not only look immoral but will also encourage imbecility and wrong doings... This argument is not unknown to the peoples' representatives but here lies the role of politics...because they are now making election calculations. A large chunk of Republicans wants to keep them away from the shadows of Bush because of his shrinking popularity. On the other hand, a section of the Democrats wants to project themselves as 'friends of the poor.' It now remains to be seen which way the U.S. economy and politics finds a solution to wriggle of the crisis." ¶6. "WAVE OF RECESSION ACROSS THE WORLD", editorial in September 30 right-of-center Urdu daily "URDU TIMES", Mumbai: "While the American economy is grappling with unprecedented crisis, it has sent shivers down the economies of the entire world. The upheaval is taking a disastrous turn all over the entire world owing to the fact that the 700 billion dollar emergency rescue package( bail out package) proposed by the Bush administration has been virtually thwarted, leading to NEW DELHI 00002643 003 OF 004 the share markets across Europe & Asia witnessing massive swings. Bush had already issued a warning that if his proposed package does not get passed by the Senate, the economic crisis in America shall be difficult to overcome. Along with America, a number of countries in the world are facing the economic wrath today. There has been news of share prices falling rapidly across Japan, Korea, Australia & India. The BSE also witnessed a fall below 13000, a level not seen in India since the last 2.5 years. The fears are looming large that foreign investors might withdraw their money parked in India." -------------- PAKISTAN / U.S -------------- ¶7. "AMERICAN OFFENSIVE & AL QAEDA", editorial in October 2 right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: "As per the results of a survey conducted by the BBC world service, leading to the exposure of certain facts, we can very well assert that America, which claims to be fighting a war on terror, is actually playing a pivotal role in exacerbating terrorist activities across the world, while making the terrorists more stabilized & deadly. Although it may not be happening knowingly, but certainly, its actions are leading to such circumstances. To be frank, America itself has not been honest and unbiased in its so called war on terror. The Taliban are being targeted by the American forces today, however it was America which nurtured them, masterminded them & used such organizations against Russia during the Cold War. It is also true that the war on terror being talked about in the world today, is not actually a war against any particular organization per se, but is gradually taking the shape of a war on the Islamic world." -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶8. "INDIA, PAKISTAN'S COMMON PERIL," op-ed article in October 1 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by senior journalist Kuldip Nayar: "The Al Qaida-Taliban coalition has already penetrated deep in Pakistan. If they capture more territory, what would be its effect on India is the greatest worry... Actually, U.S. trained and armed fundamentalists to oust Soviet Union from Afghanistan during the Cold War. Those fundamentalists are today's Taliban... There is a need to understand that Pakistan's war against Taliban is India's war too. If ever Pakistan goes under, India's first line of defense would collapse. India and Pakistan should jointly fight against the menace. Former Pakistan president and U.S. ally Pervez Musharraf should also be blamed for this. There is a lesson for India which is a sad picture of inaction and ineptness when assessed in terms of action taken against communal forces. The matter is much more serious: Muslims and Christians have lost faith in the fairness of the state. This will be hard to restore if the secular forces do not assert themselves." NEW DELHI 00002643 004 OF 004 -------------- TERRORISM -------------- ¶9. "EID UNDER THE SHADOW OF BLASTS", editorial in October 2 right-of-center Urdu daily "INQUILAB", Mumbai: "The festival of Eid is being celebrated at a time when the country has gone through painful moments marked by a series of continuous bomb blasts. The recent incidents have been reported from Bangalore, Ahmadabad, Delhi & Malegaon. However, fears & anxiety are not restricted to these cities alone; instead the entire country is gripped by them. Virtually tearing apart the lives of common people, insecurity is writ large on their faces. Talking of Muslims, they are directly affected & perturbed by these unsavory incidents, while also being at the receiving end of the arrests & accusations made in the aftermath of these blasts. The incidents of blasts have affected all our fellow brethren of the country, more so the Muslim community. Muslims thus have to face the wrath of attacks from all directions. What irony, that Muslims are the victims of such incidents & the culprits behind them, at the same time!" ¶10. "EID & THE ISLAMIC WORLD", editorial in October 2 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "In the aftermath of 9/11, Muslims all over the world have been termed as terrorists and made worthy of hatred. This satanic attempt is a part of the conspiracy hatched by the leaders of the Zionist regime to discredit the Muslims. This conspiracy is beginning to have its fallout on the Indian Muslims, who have virtually got trapped into it. The lack of a leader to guide the Muslims today has never been felt more. At one time, Indian Muslims were branded as traitors, Pakistani moles, agents and spies by the communal elements. In pursuance of this nefarious agenda, the fanatic persons in the police force, the Sangh parivar, Zionists & their agent MOSSAD have been exploding bombs all over the country, with the motive of branding Muslims as terrorists, by orchestrating their involvement in the blasts. Such incidents used to be rarely heard but as of now, their frequency has increased dramatically." MULFORD