SPECIAL REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: SPECIAL REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT
REINFORCES U.S. ASSURANCES OF SUPPORT TO INDIA AGAINST TERROR


1. SUMMARY: The highly positive media coverage of Secretary
Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi on December 3 has left behind
the lasting image of America being India's First Friend in the time
of need. In creating that image, the Secretary's visit was
supplemented by other significant American presences in India this
week - those of FBI sleuths toiling with their Indian counterparts
in Mumbai, and the visits of Admiral Mike Mullen and Senators
McCain, Lieberman and Graham. The Secretary gave two press
conferences in New Delhi - one of them jointly with Foreign Minister
Pranab Mukherjee. Both the press conferences, attended by close to a
hundred national and international media outlets, generated massive
coverage in the print and electronic media. The one outstanding
comment by the Secretary on Pakistan being accountable for
"non-state actors" too was music to Indian ears. End summary.

-- "U.S. CALLS PAKISTAN'S BLUFF, WANTS ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS"


2. During a joint news conference with Secretary Rice, India's
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, "There is no doubt the
terrorist attacks in Mumbai were perpetrated by individuals who came
from Pakistan and whose controllers are in Pakistan."


3. Secretary Rice said Pakistan has a "special responsibility" to
cooperate with the investigation into the deadly Mumbai attacks.
Secretary Rice said the US expects all "responsible governments" to
help with the investigation and "Pakistan has a special
responsibility to do so and to do so transparently, urgently and
fully."

-- "RICE'S NO-NONSENSE MESSAGE TO PAKISTAN"


4. The Indo-Asian News Service said the U.S. called Islamabad's
bluff saying it must take "direct and tough action" even if the
perpetrators are "non-state actors." Asked to comment on President
Zardari's claim that the Mumbai attackers were "stateless actors,"
Secretary Rice reportedly said: "Non-state actors remain a matter of
responsibility if it's in your territory." The Indo-Asian News
Service said this was Rice's no-nonsense message to Pakistan. All
newspapers and television channels highlighted this observation of
the Secretary in their reports.


5. Secretary Rice reportedly described the strikes in Mumbai as
"attacks at India and its integration with the world". "I have
spoken with the home minister, and we are looking at reforms in
India. The U.S. has experience in counter-terrorism. The special
focus has to be on terror financing and intelligence sharing," she
reportedly said.

-- "RICE: WE'LL INSIST ON DIRECT, TOUGH ACTION BY PAKISTAN"


6. THE HINDU reported that Secretary Rice admitted that the Mumbai
terror strikes were more sophisticated than the previous serial bomb
blasts in several major Indian studies, but wanted the response
limited to arresting the culprits and ensuring that no further
attack took place. Pakistan had a central role to play in ensuring
both these things, she added.

-- "DETERMINED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM"


7. THE ECONOMIC TIMES highlighted Secretary Rice's assurance to
Foreign Minister Mukherjee: "We are going to work very closely with
you in any way you can to try to get to the bottom of what happened

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and then help you act on that."

-- "PAK MUST ACT AGAINST MUMBAI KILLERS: RICE"


8. THE TIMES OF INDIA said that in a direct snub to Pakistan,
Secretary Rice brushed aside President Zardari's alibi that the
perpetrators of Mumbai terror were "non-state actors," saying it was
a matter of Islamabad's responsibility and Pakistan needed to act
against them. The paper's diplomatic editor Indrani Bagchi said
Secretary Rice will tell Zardari in Islamabad that Pakistan must act
against the Mumbai killers.

-- "INDIA URGED TO EXERCIZE RESTRAINT"


9. THE TRIBUNE said that while Secretary Rice turned the heat on
Pakistan, she also advised India to exercise restraint, cautioning
that any move to strike at terrorist camps across the border could
have "unintended consequences". "Any response needs to be judged by
its effectiveness and by not creating other unintended
consequences," the paper quoted her as saying.

-- ADVANI SEES PAKISTAN AGENCIES' ROLE IN ATTACKS


10. The Secretary's meeting with L.K. Advani, the leader of the
Opposition BJP party, was also widely covered in the media. THE
HINDU reported that in the meeting, Advani emphasized that the
Mumbai attacks could not have been carried out without the Pakistan
agencies' knowledge, guidance and training. The Secretary reportedly
told Advani that these concerns would be registered with Pakistan.
THE ECONOMIC TIMES reported that the Secretary assured Advani of
Washington's "full cooperation" to India in the aftermath of the
Mumbai attack.

-- "U.S. SETS STAGE FOR STRIKES IF PAK DOES NOT ACT"


11. THE TIMES OF INDIA reported that even as Secretary Rice was in
New Delhi, India's Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon made the
rounds in Washington, explaining India's position and the growing
anger across the country after Pakistan's latest provocation. The
paper reported that Menon was assured of full cooperation and
support as India dealt with the consequences of the incident.

-- "EMPTY RICE BOWL"


12. THE MAIL TODAY was perhaps the only newspaper that expressed a
lack of optimism about the visit, saying the Secretary came with
platitudes and advised patience with Pakistan. Swimming against the
tide of highly positive reporting, the paper said "the U.S. reaction
to the terrorist carnage in Mumbai has been to unleash the
conflict-prevention mechanisms by flooding the region with
high-level visits."


13. COMMENTARY: The Secretary's visit came at a time when India is
looking for international endorsements against Pakistan,
particularly from the US. While the Secretary's remarks in New Delhi
were largely reiterations of previous messages from Washington, it
was her flying down thousands of miles to stand with India in its
hour of need that made all the difference. At the same time, it is
evident from the media reporting that India is now looking for
active U.S. support against Pakistan, rather than verbal assurances.
Editorial commentary on the visit is expected in the coming days,
but the upbeat reporting thus far reflects the grand public affairs

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success of this visit.
MULFORD