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.

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INDO-PAK RELATIONS
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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

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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."

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PALESTINE
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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."

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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

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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."

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PAKISTAN
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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

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strategic grounds. India does not have any such
obligation. So, it must firmly ask Pakistan to stop
terrorism."

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2009 TRAFFICKING REPORT
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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