MEDIA REACTION: TERRORORISM, U.S. AID TO

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001059 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: TERRORORISM, U.S. AID TO PAKISTAN, NEPAL; NEW DELHI-MAY 23-26, 2009. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily "Early Edition" summary. -------------- TERRORISM -------------- ¶1. "MUMBAI TERROR ATTACK: SIX MONTHS LATER," editorial in May 26 centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "It has been six months since Mumbai was shaken by the terror blasts. Undoubtedly, the purpose was to paralyze the financial capital of India. In the final analysis, peace won over terrorism. The neighboring country which perpetrated terror is slowly moving toward anarchy." -------------- U.S. AID TO PAKISTAN -------------- ¶2. "AID AND TERRORISM," editorial in May 24 centrist Hindi daily DAINIK HINDUSTAN. "Dropping the India reference from the PEACE Act on Pakistan's insistence shows that preventing terror attacks in India is not a U.S. priority. It is clear that India will have to fight its own war against terrorism." ¶3. "AMERICA'S PRIORITY: BUSINESS OR WAR LOBBY?" editorial in May 23 right-of-center Gujarati daily MUMBAI SAMACHAR. "While the American economy is grappling with recession, its leaders are busy tripling aid to Pakistan. The bill to triple American aid to Pakistan has been stripped of references to India to make it more palatable to Islamabad. If the aid is in the form of weapons, there is no guarantee that Pakistan will not use them against India. The U.S. should instead focus its resources on building strong business ties with India." -------------- NEPAL -------------- ¶4. "NEPAL PRIME MINISTER," editorial in May 25 right- of-center Hindi daily DAINIK HINDUSTAN. "Only a leader who can forge a consensus among Nepal's political parties and does not become a pawn in China's games against India can get Nepal out of the present crisis. Internal and external confidence building is the biggest challenge for Nepal's new Prime Minister Madhav Kumar Nepal. He should also clear the air on former Prime Minister Prachanda's allegations that India is responsible for the fall of his government." BURLEIGH