MEDIA REACTION: OBAMA'S TRANS-PACIFIC ENGAGEMENT

UNCLAS KATHMANDU 001128

SIPDIS

STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO

STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU

E.O. 12958 N/A
TAGS: KMDR, KPAO, PGOV, OPRC, NP
SUBJ: MEDIA REACTION: OBAMA'S TRANS-PACIFIC
ENGAGEMENT

1. SUMMARY: Nepal's state-owned English daily the
Rising Nepal (estimated circulation of 5,000) on
Friday, December 11, 2009 published an opinion piece
by an academician where the writer analyzes U.S.
engagement in the Trans-Pacific region. Dr. Upendra
Gautam, an engineer by profession, in the piece
"U.S. in Nepal's neighborhood" states that United
States needs to tread carefully in the region so as
not to annoy the two rising powers - India or China.
The writer praises President Obama for his pragmatic
approach and his recognition of China as America's

most important bilateral partner of 21st century. The
article predicts that President Obama 'may be
successful in his South Asian initiative if his
administration does not repeat the unforgivable
mistake of previous administration.'

SELECTED EXCERPTS:

2. "...By preferring to call himself the first "Pacific
President" of the US, he has raised America's neighborly
standing vis--vis Asia... Obama, after his rise to the US
presidency, has been a fast learner of Trans-Pacific
affairs. His keen aptitude for the region turned him into
a "pragmatist" much before he visited China (November 15-
18, 2009). US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's China
visit early this year definitely played a role in
preparing the ground for a new era of pragmatic
cooperation in Trans-Pacific relations."

3. "Not everyone has been happy with Obama and his
unconventionally inclusive and non-partisan approach. One
of those unhappy persons was Man Mohan Singh, the Indian
prime minister. Singh's government was particularly not
happy with the reference to South Asia made in the Joint
Statement that was published in Beijing on November 17 at
the fag-end of Obama's China visit."

4. "... Indian anger and disappointment caused by the
Sino-US Joint Statement prevailed so much over Singh that
he even chose to ignore that his country's bilateral ties
with China were officially based on the principle of
peaceful co-existence. Singh could not directly criticize
host Obama for the Sino-US Joint Statement. So by way of
tactics, he had to goad and demean a country with which
Obama considered having the most important bilateral
relations of the 21st century."

5. "Unforgivable mistake: To what extent Singh realizes
his strategic objective is anybody's guess at this moment.
What is sure for now is Obama will have to unwaveringly
play his pragmatic Trans-Pacific role with inclusive and
non-partisan vision and accomplished skills. He may be
successful in his South Asian initiative to a larger
extent if his administration does not repeat the
unforgivable mistake of the previous US administration in
Iraq, which the US attacked and occupied for having
imaginary 'weapon of mass destruction.' These times are
certainly neither like the Iraq one nor that of World War
II."

BERRY