MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS; NEW

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 002736 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: INDIA-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." -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "ZARDARI REKINDLES HOPES," op-ed in October 16 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by former diplomat and parliamentarian Kuldip Nayar: "Asif Ali Zardari was never taken seriously in India. People either knew him as Benazir Bhutto's husband or Mr. 10 per cent. But his pronouncements after assuming charge of Pakistan People's Party have begun drawing attention in India. But Zardari's point of view did not fit into Islamabad's policy and mindset. Islamabad interpreted his statement differently and reiterated the same old policy. Zardari, now Pakistan's president, has expressed similar thought in a more explicit way. In an interview to a US daily, he said the Kashmiri militants are the terrorists. I do not understand the furore over the remark. He has not given away Kashmir, nor has he withdrawn the claim on the state. All that he has done is to describe today's militants as terrorists who, by no stretch of imagination, are 'freedom fighters,' the title that General Pervez Musharraf gave them. Pakistan is passing through difficult times. India has to do something concrete to express its solidarity with it, more so with the nascent democracy. It is in India's own interest." ¶2. "INDIA-PAKISTAN TALKS," editorial in October 16 RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The talks with Pakistan national security adviser Mahmud Ali Durrani are different and important in many ways because a national security adviser's role is based on many security-related aspects from defense strategy, secret information to terrorism.... The joint anti-terrorism mechanism is meaningless unless the real base of cooperation takes shape between both nations. Pakistan President Zardari's recent statements against terrorism and in favor of India have created a hope. The results could be positive if the talks are held in the wake of the emotions of these statements. After all, now Pakistan has also become a victim of terrorism. Although, it is too early to think that the security advisers of both countries can take a decision on joint anti-terrorism mechanism a base could be set up for a new kind of collaboration if Pakistan is really honest. The U.S. must also have advised Pakistan to cooperate with India." WHITE