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

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002653 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, U.S. ECONOMIC CRISIS, AIDS, TERRORISM; NEW DELHI-OCTOBER 4-6, ¶2008. 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. "AMERICAN SENATE APPROVES DEAL", editorial in theM October 4 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "At last, the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal has been given the green signal by the American Senate by a huge margin. It was an extremely vital stage of the entire process, concluding in the deal. It was widely believed that the senate was not going to give the go ahead so easily, but our worst fears became untrue. After the completion of this stage, all such proposed amendments have also been rejected, which at one stage could have jeopardized the agreement itself. Anyhow, the difficult stage is now over. There doesn't seem to be any apparent trouble in the deal reaching its meaningful conclusion. However, there has been no reaction from the opposition parties as such. They were expected to have adopted a conciliatory stand and a positive view over the agreement. Possibly, the passage of the deal by the members of the Senate and the House would not have a salutary effect on the political parties in India. The fears are not unfounded that resistance to the agreement shall continue to prevail, whatsoever." ¶2. "JOY OVER AGREEMENT, WHO CARES ABOUT BEING ANSWERABLE?" editorial in the October 4 right-of-center Urdu daily "INQUILAB", Mumbai: "The Indo-U.S. nuclear deal is slated to take a final shape in the near future. A mood of rejoice prevails over the approval of the deal by the American Congress and subsequently the Senate. The time when the communist parties were resisting the government to halt the efforts for finalizing the agreement, was in fact conducive to the government, since the supporters of the deal were many more. People used to say that the deal was in India's interest. A lot of water has flown down the Ganges since then and the same spirit and enthusiasm just does not prevail now. It is being said that, another benefit accruing out of the agreement could be India getting a vital place amongst the international comity of nations, while it would create its own niche. It could be very well possible, but at what price? The unique identity being talked about here, is not our own. Rather, we would have to forego our identity to earn this 'international' identity. Till yesterday, we were an independent sovereign nation, but from now onwards, we shall be seen as a puppet of America." ¶3. "FINALLY, NUCLEAR DEAL DONE" editorial in the October 4, 2008 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR. "After clearing numerous roadblocks and after passing through the scanners of various NEW DELHI 00002653 002 OF 004 ¶2008. nations, the nuclear deal is a feather in India's list of achievements. The Indo-U.S. nuclear deal that had attracted the attention of the global community finally got the approval of the U.S. Senate. The credit for this landmark nuclear deal should indeed go to Prime Minister Manmohan Singh who skillfully and with all the deftness pursued this deal with his American counterpart President Bush to fruition. At a time when India is facing the heat from terrorism and inflation, the deal with the United States has come as a pleasant softener for the federal Congress-led UPA government.... Now that this deal is done, the Indian opposition parties should shed their inhibitions and welcome this historic deal by adopting a positive approach...." A similar editorial appeared in the October 4, 2008 Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA. ¶4. "NUKE DEAL NOT RELEVANT FOR COMMONERS," article in the October 4 PUNJAB KESRI Hindi daily by editor Ashwini Kumar: "No doubt PM Singh has emerged as king after the passage of the nuclear agreement in the U.S. Congress. But if the Indian Congress Party's spin masters are expecting the nuclear deal to be presented as the leitmotif of the party in the next elections, they may be surprised. When experts and parliaments were unable to comprehend the intricacies of the deal, how can one expect the common citizen of India to understand it. People want the prices to come down. They want terrorism tacked and security to be restored. Hope the Congress Party is listening." ¶5. "END OF AN EXILE," commentary in the October 5 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic affairs specialist K. Subrahmanyam: "The Nuclear Suppliers Group was, actually, formed to obstruct India's civil-military nuclear program on the U.S. initiative after it conducted Pokharan tests 34 years ago.... Now, again on the initiative of U.S. President George Bush the NSG' rules are modified to lift the nuclear restrictions from India although it has not signed the NPT. India's nuclear embargo is ended because the world's major powers consider India an emerging power. They believe that India will play an important role in establishing a better power-balance in the world. Manmohan Singh concluded the campaign initiated by Vajpayee. These two followed the tradition of Rao, who decided to change according to the Post civil-war circumstances and follow the line of globalization. Rao, Vajpayee and Singh correctly understood the international scenario and took its full advantage in India's interest. Thus, India could get rid of the 34-year-old nuclear exile." ¶6. "OUR SHORTCOMINGS," op-ed article in the October 5 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by editor Sanjay Gupta: "U.S. S ecretary of State Condoleezza Rice's visit to India to finalize the nuclear deal and India's inking nuclear agreement with France are unique achievements. It could happen because Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and U.S. President George Bush were firmly dedicated to the deal.... The Western countries ending India's nuclear ban because it is a responsible nation is just a small aspect. But, NEW DELHI 00002653 003 OF 004 ¶2008. there are many flaws too-- lack of all round development of the nation, inability to meet the fundamental needs of the people, inappropriate standards set by the government to put the country on par with the developed nations, politics based on caste, religion, language, region etc., and corruption-- which need to be rectified. We will have to prevent corruption and ensure that the energy sector is not controlled by the politicians but by the international standards." -------------- US ECONOMIC CRISIS -------------- ¶7. "U.S. IN A CRISIS," editorial in the October 4 NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "The U.S. is caught in a historically tumultuous situation over the economic crisis. The bailout package aimed at averting a financial meltdown in the United States has been signed by President Bush. US taxpayers will foot the bill for the seven hundred billion dollar package, introduced in the hopes that it can save Wall Street from crisis. The bailout will offer respite, even if only temporary, to the world. India's software, pharmaceuticals, and jewelry industry will heave a sigh of relief, but the happiness may be short-lived." -------------- AIDS -------------- ¶8. "DUTIES OF DOCTORS", editorial in the October 4 right- of-center Urdu daily "HAMARA SAMAJ", New Delhi: "The observations made by the Supreme Court in recent days in the context of public health services, is indeed a cause for concern for any government, whosoever. In any case, if the common man's health is on the brink, it suggests that the government has failed to provide access to even basic health services. A lot of such cases are coming to the fore, where doctors have refused to bring under their treatment, even a patient who was HIV positive. Should such an attitude prevail in the society? Are doctors allowed to follow such a practice, under any law or regulation? If a doctor, whether in the government or private sector, refuses to admit & treat a patient who is HIV positive or suffering from AIDS, an intervention by the government is justified. Frankly, still such old fashioned ideas prevail about certain diseases, which put a question mark on our modernity." -------------- TERRORISM -------------- ¶9. "BIASED ATTITUDE OF MAHARASHTRA POLICE", editorial in the October 4 right-of-center Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: "Draconian laws being invoked against Muslims indiscriminately are certainly not used against others, who deserve the treatment actually. The bomb blasts taking place in other parts of the country are being increasingly linked up with Mumbai, while the state NEW DELHI 00002653 004 OF 004 ¶2008. police have left no stone unturned in harassing the poor Muslims. In the name of arrests of suspected terrorists and those who were the masterminds behind the blasts, the police are arresting Muslim youth, while Muslim dominated areas are being constantly viewed with suspicion, which is certainly having a negative effect on the day to day life of common Muslims. A pressing example of this bias are the blasts in Malegaon, where it was the Muslims who lost their lives, yet no arrest has been made related to the blasts so far, possibly. It is not known what action was taken by the police in the aftermath of the previous blasts in Malegaon." MULFORD