MEDIA REACTION: INDO-PAK RELATIONS, PALESTINE,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 001272 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: INDO-PAK RELATIONS, PALESTINE, PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IRAN, PAKISTAN, 2009 TRAFFICKING REPORT; NEW DELHI. 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. -------------- INDO-PAK RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "CLEAR WARNING," editorial in June 17 right-of- center Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "PM Manmohan Singh clearly and publicly told President Zardari in Yekaterinburg that Pakistan's territory should not be used for terrorist attacks against India. Such a firm attitude is absolutely right when dealing with an untrustworthy country like Pakistan. This firmness on the part of the PM should be continued because it is the only language Pakistan understands. The PM's firmness also shows that the decision of resuming talks was not taken under U.S. pressure. Now the U.S. should understand that India is not ready for its interests to be overlooked. If the Indian leadership had adopted such firm stand towards Pakistan in the past, today the situation would have been absolutely different. It was necessary to clarify that the talks with Pakistan in the future would only be on terrorism. This decision is a sign of a fundamental change in Indian diplomacy.... But Pakistan will not shed its anti-India attitude easily. The time has come for India to stop being defensive; If somebody has to be defensive, it should be Pakistan." ¶2. "PRESSURE FOR TALKS," op-ed article in June 17 right-of-center Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "The foreign Secretaries of India and Pakistan may have agreed for talks during Manmohan-Zardari meeting in Russia, but India says that this is not a resumption of the dialogue process. There is pressure on India to resume talks with Pakistan. The U.S. wants that the tensions resulting from post-Mumbai terror attacks should come down, for which talks need to be reinitiated. But how is it possible when on the one hand Pakistan releases terrorists like Sayeed, and on the other it wants talks with India? Instead of putting pressure on India, the U.S. needs to understand that the ground reality in South Asia has not changed. There may be claims of change in Pakistan's attitude in the context of Taliban, but there is no change in the Pakistani system's strategic policy and the long-term perspective on India.... For once, India's diplomatic and political pressure against Pakistan is working." ¶3. "PEACE PROCESS DRAMA: INDIA TRAPPED AGAIN IN PAKISTANI PLOT!" editorial in June 18 centrist Gujarati daily, GUJARATMITRA: "The meeting between Indian Prime Minister Singh and Pakistani President Zardari is a diplomatic success of sorts for Pakistan. After the 11/26 Mumbai attacks, India had maintained a 'no-dialogue' policy until Pakistan dismantled all the anti-India terrorist infrastructure on its soil... The NEW DELHI 00001272 002 OF 004 pertinent question here is what concrete action has Pakistan taken within the past six months for India to resume talks?... Going by the recent visit of U.S. Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William Burns and the upcoming visit of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton to India, it seems that American pressure has worked in the resumption of the Indo-Pak dialogue process." ¶4. "MANMOHAN-ZARDARI MEET," editorial in June 17 right- of- center Urdu daily SIASAT: "The President of Pakistan should translate his intentions into actions with complete determination so that India may not complain. In this scenario of fast changes on international level, if India and Pakistan focus on friendship, peace and security, it will help make them economically powerful states." -------------- PALESTINE -------------- ¶5. "UNARMED PALESTINIAN STATE," editorial in June 17 right-of-center Urdu daily HAMARA SAMAJ: "America and the European countries have always supported Israel's obstinacy. In the past, America has vetoed UNO resolutions against Israel a number of times. It means, America is also indirectly involved and responsible for Israel's actions in Palestine. Let us see what steps are taken by America now to establish peace in the Middle-East. If Obama wants to practice what he preached recently [in Cairo], he should chalk out a strategy acceptable to both the parties. " ¶6. "ISRAEL'S TRICK OF MAKING CONDITIONAL OFFER," editorial in June 17 right-of-center Urdu daily RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Israel's proposed form of an independent state of Palestine is, in fact, another proof of its craftiness. The conditional offer by Israeli Premier is nothing but a trick to undo the long endeavors of Palestinians. What does a nation without a military power mean? A Palestinian state in the close neighborhood of Israel shall always be at stake, and shall always remain at the mercy of Israel." -------------- PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IRAN -------------- ¶7. "CONSPIRACIES AGAINST AHMADINEJAD," editorial in June 17, right-of-center Urdu daily MUNSIF: "Not only America and Israel, but the entire Western world is averse to see powers in the hand of Islamists in Iran. At the same time, Iran's nuclear ambitions are also unacceptable to these countries. America, Israel and the Western world do not want to see any Islamic country, after Pakistan, become a nuclear power. In these circumstances, how can America, Israel and the Western world digest the victory of Ahmadinejad? They tried to their best to ensure Ahmadinejad's defeat, but NEW DELHI 00001272 003 OF 004 when he stood successful, they hatched a conspiracy against him." ¶8. "AHMADINEJAD RETURNS" editorial in June 18 Guwahati English independent THE ASSAM TRIBUNE: "Mahmoud Ahmadinejad's landslide win...has stunned the Western powers... President Barack Obama, however, seems to have taken a softer stance and recently talked of a making 'new beginning' if Iran 'unclenches its fist.' But with the nuclear program poised to continue under Ahmadinejad, it is unlikely the US will dilute its demand to halt the same. Therefore, having to deal with Ahmadinejad for another four years is bound to be tough for Obama." -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶9. "INTERNAL SECURITY OF PAKISTAN," editorial in June 17 right-of-center Urdu daily ETEMAAD: "Pakistan cannot control extremism with the U.S. army in the border areas of Afghanistan. The people have more hatred toward Americans than the Taliban. It seems that President Zardari has no concern for the problems of the people. He seems to be more concerned about the safety and security of Americans than that of Pakistanis." ¶10. "A NEW TURN IN INDO-PAK RELATIONS" editorial in June 18 Guwahati Assamese independent ASAMIYA KHABOR: "...The resumption of talks will benefit both India and Pakistan since both want to free their countries of terrorists... However, the success of such effort will largely depend on Pakistan's sincerity. The Indo-Pak relations may take a new direction if the first-ever closed door meeting between Manmohan Singh and Zardari can provide a fresh momentum to the stalled negotiations." ¶11. "LET THERE BE PRESSURE," editorial in June 18 independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA: "The Indian government should keep the Pakistani government under constant pressure. If Delhi reduces its diplomatic pressure, any chance of resolving the terrorist problem will slip out of its hands. Manmohan Singh should maintain a firm stand...and try to create global opinion against Pakistan. At this moment global opinion is in favor of India and he should take advantage of that. This is not opportunism but diplomacy." ¶12. "TOUGH MANMOHAN," editorial in June 18 centrist Kolkata Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN: "The whole world is now watching Pakistan over the terrorism issue. After having provided generous assistance to Pakistan, the U.S. also realizes now that there is some sort of duplicity. They also want to know about the exact anti-terror agenda of the Pakistani government. The Obama Administration is giving aid to Pakistan on NEW DELHI 00001272 004 OF 004 strategic grounds. India does not have any such obligation. So, it must firmly ask Pakistan to stop terrorism." -------------- 2009 TRAFFICKING REPORT -------------- ¶13. "INDIA A BIG SOURCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING," news article in June 18 Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "The 2009 Report on Trafficking in Persons, released by U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, places India in the Tier 2 watch list, the second-worst category in a blacklist of countries, for not doing enough to combat human trafficking... The report says that India is a base for smuggling men, women and children and also for girls from Nepal and Bangladesh for the purpose of forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. New Delhi may be trying hard to check human smuggling, but it is not being able to meet the minimum standards required to achieve a good record." BURLEIGH