MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN WAKE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003113 SIPDIS STATE FOR NP, AC, PM STATE FOR INR/MR STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU STATEFOR 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 IN WAKE OF MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS; NEW DELHI-DECEMBER 10, 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." -------------- INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN WAKE OF MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS -------------- ¶1. "THE ACTION AGAINST LASHKAR-E-TOIBA," editorial in the December 9, 2008, Mumbai edition of left-of-center Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "Pakistani President Asif Ali Zardari who until recently maintained that Pakistan had no connection with the Mumbai terror attacks, has suddenly woken up to the need to take express action against terrorists who could have masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The arrest of Zaki-ur- Rehman-Lakhvi and eight other suspects in Pakistan- occupied Kashmir therefore denotes the mounting U.S. pressure on Pakistan to take action against terrorist operatives over there. In a way, Zardari has now admitted to Pakistani complicity in the attack. Of course this time mere arrests will not serve the purpose. He has to destroy the entire terrorist network... The silver lining to the entire episode is only the fact that international pressure is building up on Pakistan and other countries also perceive the Mumbai terror attacks as part of the global war against terrorism. U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice did not just visit Pakistan after the attack but she went to the extent of providing a list of Pakistani suspects (including the former ISI Chief) who should be detained. The U.S. knows that although there is strong evidence of Pakistani complicity in many terror attacks in India, it will not be advisable to take on the Pakistani army and intelligence machinery at this juncture. So it has wisely decided to pit the Pakistani establishment against the terrorists..." ¶2. "INDIA VALIDATED," editorial in the December 10, 2008, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT. "Pakistan's action against LeT commander and the house arrest of the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief are a result of the mounting international pressure on Pakistan. Not just the U.S. and India, but even European countries are now pressuring Pakistan to do what it needs to do, and to do what India has been asking it to do for many years. The Jaish head, who has now been captured, has always been a notorious figure. His nexus with Osama bin Laden is known to the world, but Pakistan government did not ever feel that need to take action against him in the past.... Going by the ongoing interrogation of the arrested terrorists in Mumbai, the role played by Pakistan-based terrorists in the Mumbai attacks is more than clear. India and the U.S. is also well aware of the connections between these Jehadi groups and the Pakistani intelligence ag%ncies. The need is therefore to retain the pressure on Pakistan..." NEW DELHI 00003113 002 OF 003 ¶3. "IMPORTANCE OF U.S. STAND," editorial in the December 10 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN: "... It is important that India examines America's current stand carefully... particularly, at this critical juncture when George Bush is about to leave, and Obama to take the office. Bush's last minute efforts to transform failures into success and Obama's commitment to salvage the country from war and economic recession will determine U.S. position ... America wants to end the wars and eliminate Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda for all time. So, it wants Pakistan's elected government to stop supporting the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda and join hands with the other U.S. ally, India to defeat them ... As a last weapon the U.S. may even issue a threat to declare Pakistan a 'terrorist country' to achieve its goal ... Should the U.S. designate Pakistan as a terrorist country India must take the lesson to prepare its own strategies and policies, and take necessary action to implement them." ¶4. "BOWING DOWN TO PRESSURE," editorial in the December 10 left-of-center Kolkata Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN: "The way Pakistan acted even before the end of the American deadline makes it clear that Pakistan is not in a position now to ignore international opinion. It now needs to be watched what action Pakistan takes against Lakvi and Masood Azhar. Gone are days of protecting Pakistan under the wings of the White House. Indian diplomacy deserves commendation for cornering Pakistan to such an extent. Let us wait for some more time to see whether Pakistan ultimately yields to Indian pressure. For, Pakistan has to survive!" ¶5. "TERRORIST AND PAKISTAN," editorial-page article in the December 9 independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by ultra Leftist columnist Asim Chattopadhyay: "Now, Condoleezza Rice is arguing for us! The FBI has embarked on wielding its stick on our security mechanism. The political leaders who have brought our country to such a stage should note that the more their American courtship deepens, the more terrorist attacks will become inevitable in our country. The Mumbai massacre bears that distant thunder for us. No doubt, the terror attacks in Mumbai cannot be supported by any logic. However, the onus of it does not lie merely with terrorists or with Pakistan. The political power led by Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh that has turned our country today into a replica of an American satellite will certainly have to answer to the masses. It is a matter of concern that other political parties are keeping mum on this. Especially, the Leftists' silence is quite surprising." ¶6. "PRESSURE INCREASING ON PAKISTAN," editorial in the December 8 DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily: "The news that Pakistan has agreed to act against the Lashkar-e-Toiba within 48 hours is important. It is noteworthy that U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has clearly said that the U.S. has irrefutable evidences against Pakistan-based LeT's involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks and if Pakistan does not crackdown on it, the U.S. could do it. The Indian and U.S. investigators found out that the NEW DELHI 00003113 003 OF 003 Lashkar-e-Toiba leader Yusuf Mujammal played a main role in the Mumbai attacks. The Bush administration's attitude has been different towards the attacks on the U.S. and on other countries. This created suspicion against U.S. and its ally nations' commitment to the war against terrorism. The U.S. should not only force Pakistan to take immediate action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai-terror strikes shedding double standards against terrorism, but it should also understand India's pain and fully cooperate with it." -------------- INDIA-RUSSIA RELATIONS -------------- ¶7. "WITH RUSSIA," editorial in the December 8 RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "Under the new India-Russia agreement four new nuclear energy reactors will be built in Kudankulam in South India. Russia also assured the life- time fuel-supply to them. This has started a new phase in the nuclear cooperation. After France and U.S., Russia is the third country to sign a nuclear pact with India, but it has become the first country to implement it. Let us see how far the nuclear cooperation with Russia goes in the new scenario because now India is not bound to stick to just one country. Russia will have to compete with other countries like the U.S. But, given the background the chances are bright. It is also strengthened by the ten more agreements in the defense, space exploration, tourism and the excavation sectors... Falling petroleum price has affected Russia's financial status. It has realized that technology and energy will be the basis of its economic strength and in the new world scenario and Asia's main power, India, will be its major buyer." MULFORD