MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN WAKE

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003123

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN WAKE
OF MUMBAI ATTACKS, MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS/ WAR AGAINST
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."

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INDIA/PAKISTAN RELATIONS IN WAKE OF MUMBAI ATTACKS
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1. "PAKISTAN'S HELPLESSNESS," editorial in the December
10 HINDUSTAN Hindi daily: "Pakistan, for the first time,
has really acted against terrorists, but under pressure.
If the Pakistani rulers really want to eradicate
terrorism their actions should match their words. They
should stop the diplomatic drama and destroy the
terrorist camps running on their soil. The Mumbai terror
attacks forced the U.S. and Europe to think that the
Pakistani terrorists could also create troubles for them.
Thus, the U.S. stepped up pressure on Pakistan... If the
U.S. and Europe stop their financial aid, it could create
serious difficulties for Pakistan. And the statements of
the sole terrorist survivor of Mumbai massacre, Azam Amir
Kasav, and the solid proof of him being a Pakistani
citizen have made the situation even more difficult for
the Pakistan government. The U.S. intelligence agencies'
reports are also pointing to the ISI's involvement. Now
Pakistan has to decide if it wants to continue to be an
international headache or it wants to be included in the
category of the successful nations?"


2. "TRAPPING PAKISTAN," editorial in the December 10
RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "India's anti-Pakistan
global diplomacy regarding the Mumbai terror attacks is,
actually, its strategy of trapping Pakistan. And raising
this issue in the UN Security Council is a part of this
strategy. India perhaps wants to create grounds to act
against Pakistan with the permission of the Council... And
Pakistan seems to have a two-sided strategy-- reiterating
the commitment of cooperation and giving statement,
taking into consideration the internal politics, of not
handing over any Pakistani to India; and on the other
side, trying to make the world believe that Pakistan
itself is struggling with terrorism. The Western
countries, including the U.S., hesitate in adopting
strict attitude against Pakistan because-- firstly, they
feel that it will endanger democracy over there and
secondly, it can increase anger in the Islamic world.
This thinking is the biggest obstacle at present in the
way of the success of the Indian diplomacy."


3. "DETENTION OF MASOOD AZHAR AND LAKHVI IS ABSOLUTE
EYEWASH," editorial in the December 11 pro-BJP Kolkata
Bengali daily, BARTAMAN. "Pakistan's new civilian
government is completely helpless at the hands of...strong
power centers. The government may not stay in power if it
really wants drastic action against the terrorists. The
Pakistani Army and ISI will not let the government
continue. That is the reason why AMERICA too does not

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believe that Pakistan has detained the terrorist leaders
or has put them under house arrest. The Pakistani
government's claim is untenable."


4. "A DIFFERENT EID," editorial in the December 11
independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA.
"This year's Eid was a bit different in the wake of the
Mumbai massacre... Muslim leaders have made it clear that
there is no relation between protection of minority
rights and their development ... The leaders have done a
good job by going on record that they too regard India as
their motherland and they are no less committed than any
other Indian nationals in preventing damage and
destruction to the country. It was indeed necessary to
send out this message to timid and hesitant secularists
at this hour of crisis."


5. "UNTRUSTWORTHY NEIGHBOR" editorial in the December 11,
2008, Mumbai edition of left-of-center Marathi daily
MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "Ultimately Pakistan has, though
indirectly, admitted to the complicity of Pakistan's
Jehadi elements in the 26/11 Mumbai attacks. Pakistan has
been pressurized enough by the world community to not
just admit to the connivance but also take action against
the terrorist operatives. Now the moot point is whether
the recent arrests of terrorists, initiated by the
Pakistani government, are genuine or misleading. There is
a possibility, and a strong one, that the rapid action
against Pakistani terrorist groups is a sham. Similar
action was taken against terrorist operatives during
General Pervez Musharraf's tenure. But these terrorists
are moving freely today, under some other guise.
Immediately after Asif Zardari came to power, these
Jehadi element have become extra-active. And Zardari
again is an untrustworthy character whose public
statements are to be taken with a pinch of salt. He has
contributed to the anti-India environment in Pakistan.
One cannot even rule out the possibility of a sudden
airstrike by Pakistan against India..."
Similar editorial appeared in the December 11, 2008
edition of Marathi daily LOKMAT.


6. "PAKISTAN'S ACTIONS AGAINST TERRORISTS: GENUINE OR
SHAM?" editorial in the December 11, 2008 centrist
Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA. "Succumbing to the
international pressure, especially the U.S., the
Pakistani government has clamped down on terrorists
operating in the Pakistan-occupied Kashmir's
Muzzafarabad. This seems to be an apparent bid by
Pakistan to stave off rising global and India's rage over
Pakistan's lackadaisical approach in reigning in the
rogue elements there.... Whatever may be the case, the
steps initiated by Pakistani government in apprehending
Lakhvi and Masood Azhar indicate that India is certainly
on these terrorists' hit-list who have been carrying out
their nefarious activities against India.... Besides, what
is the guarantee that reigning in these elements will
bring an end to anti-India activities? Even Pakistan's
Inter-Services Intelligence and the military continue to
foster anti-India sentiments through such radical

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elements.... Considering all this, it is difficult to
comprehend that Pakistan's actions will yield any
results."
A similar editorial appeared in the December 10, 2008
Mumbai-based right-of-center Gujarati daily MUMBAI
SAMACHAR.


7. "INDO - PAK RELATIONS: NEED FOR PATIENCE AND WISDOM",
editorial in the December 09, 2008 issue of right - to -
centre Urdu daily "RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: "In
fact, Mumbai terror attack had wider intentions. By
attacking Mumbai, The Business Capital in India, the
destructive elements wanted to dilute its economic
strength, to fan communal riots and to pitch both the
countries against each other. Asaf Ali Zardari has
already assured his every sort of cooperation to India.
In Pakistan, there are a number of destructive elements
who want to hamper bilateral dialogue process between
both the countries. The story of concocted telephone
story vindicates the suspicion that enemies of Indo - Pak
friendship are also responsible for terrorist activities
in both the countries. They want to deviate Pakistan's
attention from happenings taking place in the bordering
areas of Afghanistan and Pakistan and to divert the
direction of their canons towards India. At present, the
dialogue process between the two countries is completely
at a stand still. Pakistan should take action against the
terrorists and such organizations active within the
terrorists of Pakistan, in order to eliminate the
atmosphere of distrust."

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MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS/ WAR AGAINST TERRORISM
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8. "LET THERE BE NO AMERICAN DEPENDENCE," editorial in
the December 11 CPI (M) Organ GANASHAKTI Bengali daily.
"India now has turned to the UN by slightly dissuading
from its policy of U.S.-dependence on combating
terrorism. Though there was no further terror attack in
the U.S. post 9/11, terrorists continue to unleash
violence at different parts of the world. Still the
Security Council did not care to take much initiative;
rather, the U.S. has been playing a big brotherly
attitude on the pretext of fighting terrorism.
Ultimately, India wanted to utilize the Security Council.
CPI (M) too had already urged the government to move in
the same direction. India's initiative in activating the
UNSC is certainly positive. India's foreign policy,
dependent on the U.S. will never be able to resolve the
problem of terrorism."
MULFORD