SPECIAL REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 001517 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: SPECIAL REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY CLINTON'S VISIT TO INDIA - PART II (Continued) SUMMARY: Secretary Clinton's visit to India continues to receive positive comment, although a section of the media has jumped into the fray with the Parliamentary opposition regarding India's agreement to End-User Monitoring language. In countering the allegations of a "sellout," the Indian government found support from the nation's leading newspaper, THE TIMES OF INDIA, which reminded the "hawks" that monitoring was not an India-specific clause, and that the Secretary's visit actually took the relationship a notch higher. THE HINDU questioned what it perceived as the Secretary's contradictory stands on the question of uranium enrichment and reprocessing. Leading vernacular language newspapers saw the visit as the "dawn of a new era." THE MINT said Secretary Clinton's silence on Kashmir signals acknowledgement from the U.S. that meddling in the matter will only alienate India, an ally it crucially needs. Commentary from India's leading English and language newspapers follows. End summary. -------------- -------------- MILITARY PACT WITH U.S. COMES UNDER FIRE; GOVERNMENT SAYS NO SURRENDER -------------- -------------- ¶1. Media reports said that the Indian government, under attack from the Opposition for "compromising" national sovereignty by agreeing to allow U.S. inspection of military installations, asserted it has not bargained away India's interest by going in for the End-User Monitoring Agreement with America. -------------- -------------- HAS HILLARY DISOWNED U.S. POLICY ON ENR SALES TO INDIA? -------------- -------------- ¶2. Referring to the Secretary's response in New Delhi on the issue of enrichment and reprocessing, THE HINDU asked why the U.S. took one stand in Delhi, and another at NSG. On November 20, 2008, the U.S. threw its full weight behind new draft rules at the Nuclear Suppliers Group that ban the sale of enrichment and reprocessing (ENR) items to India. "When Secretary Clinton was asked on Monday whether the U.S.-sponsored NSG move undermined the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, her answer took everyone by surprise," the paper's strategic editor Siddhartha Varadarajan said. -------------- EDITORIAL COMMENTARY IN THE ENGLISH PRESS -------------- ¶3. "UP ONE NOTCH," editorial in July 22 centrist, national English daily, THE TIMES OF INDIA: "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to India not only packed plenty of symbolism, there was substance as well. After the atmospherics came the real deal, taking ties between the two countries up another notch. End- user obligations require India to let the US monitor the use of defense equipment and technology New Delhi NEW DELHI 00001517 002 OF 004 procures from Washington. This is not an India-specific clause but a requirement of the US Arms Export Control Act of 1996. Predictably, some hawks allege that India is surrendering its defense sovereignty. That's not true." ¶4. "END-USE ACCORD," editorial in July 22 centrist THE STATESMAN: "It would be all too easy, as expected from some politicians and 'nationalists', to ride a patriotic high horse and insist that having paid for the equipment India should not succumb to any American inspection or verification regime. Yet, being a major exporter of weapons and systems, a certain responsibility does devolve upon American authorities to ensure that their products are not diverted to questionable usage. Finalizing an umbrella accord is welcome." ¶5. "CLINTON AND THE SOUND OF SILENCE," editorial in July 22 centrist, national business daily, THE MINT: "Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to India was marked by what was nearly inaudible: the K-word, or Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The Obama administration appears to be sensitive in bringing up the K-word. Obama apparently excised India from US Ambassador Richard Holbrooke's mandate over South Asia to refrain from angering New Delhi on the matter. The US cannot ignore India for business reasons. If it makes noises about J&K, it will only harm itself more. It signals US acknowledgement that meddling in the matter will only alienate India -- an ally it crucially needs." ¶6. "EXPLAIN THIS," editorial in July 22 centrist English newspaper, DAILY NEWS & ANALYSIS: "The end-user monitoring arrangement that India has agreed to with the US at the end of Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit will remain a contentious issue. The arrangement gives the Americans the right to make on- site inspections of the military hardware that India buys from them. This is an intrusive practice whatever its justification from the American point of view. There is no need to see conspiracy theories behind the deepening strategic relations with the US. At the same time, it cannot mean that the relationship and what it entails cannot be questioned." ¶7. "A DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP," editorial in July 22, left-of-center English daily, DECCAN CHRONICLE: "The agreements reached and signed between India and the United States in New Delhi on Monday evening during the visit of America's secretary of state Hillary Clinton will doubtless have a long-term impact on relations between the two major democracies. As Ms Clinton rightly noted, the military end-user agreement can be the harbinger of greater defense cooperation between the two countries." ¶8. "A FRUITFUL TRIP FOR HILLARY," editorial in July 22, independent and right-of-center English Daily, THE NEW INDIAN EXPRESS: "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has completed a whirlwind tour of Mumbai and Delhi. She NEW DELHI 00001517 003 OF 004 met educationists, women, businessmen, and from her point of view it was a successful visit. She managed to get India to sign the end-user verification agreement that will now enable the US to sell its defense wares to India. Already defense trade to the tune of $20 billion -- excluding the big ticket items like the multi-role light combat aircraft deal -- is being talked of as US MNCs get ready to sell their helicopters and aircraft to India." ¶9. "WARMING EARTH," editorial in July 22 centrist THE TELEGRAPH: "The contention of the West is that if an environmental catastrophe is to be avoided, India and China have to adhere to a low-carbon development path. This was in summary terms one of the messages that Hillary Clinton brought to India. The logic of this position is undeniable but as the government of India has pointed out in all international fora devoted to the issue of climate change, it is utterly unfair and skewed in favor of the Western world." -------------- EDITORIAL COMMENTARY IN LANGUAGE PRESS -------------- ¶10. "DAWN OF A NEW ERA," editorial in July 22 Hindi daily, NAVBHARAT TIMES: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's visit can really herald the proverbial dawn of a new era in Indo-U.S. relations. The goal was to connect with the people of India, and that she did very successfully. India had been wary of a Democratic administration in the U.S., and that fear had been accentuated by certain pronouncements of President Obama. But with her visit and her remarks, Hillary Clinton put to rest those fears. The Clinton visit shows America sees India as a potential world leader!" ¶11. "HILLARY'S VISIT," editorial in July 22 Hindi daily, DAINIK HINDUSTAN: "Nobody knows how to please crowds and win their hearts like Hillary Clinton does. That is exactly what she did in Mumbai -- so much so that it seemed like she was in India not for any serious business but to carry out a public relations exercise. It can be argued that a public relations exercise in India was much needed at this hour, with all the apprehensions about what the Obama administration's attitude towards India will be." ¶12. "WHY IS HILLARY CLINTON'S VISIT IMPORTANT?" editorial in July 21 right-of-center Urdu daily, ETEMAD: "Secretary Clinton's visit to India is an indication of basic changes in US South Asia policy. The visit is also an effort to give a final shape to the plan envisaged by the Obama administration with regard to Indo-Pak bilateral relations. According to Hillary Clinton, the US does not want to dictate terms, interfere or take arbitrary decisions in others' affairs. Her statement shows that America has realized its past mistakes, and it does not want to repeat them." NEW DELHI 00001517 004 OF 004 ¶13. "AN EXERCISE TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP," editorial in Bangalore-based left-of-center Kannada daily, PRAJAVANI: "Several pacts relating to agriculture, technology, military equipments have been signed during the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. Already the End-User agreement is rocking the Parliament. India has to allay the doubts about this issue. No major pacts have been signed during the visit. However, it was definitely a good exercise to improve bilateral relations." ¶14. "IS EVERYTHING BILATERAL?" editorial in July 22, independent Telugu daily, SAKSHI: "As a person who is seen as being favorable to India, Hillary Clinton's five-day visit to the country has paved the way for new work to be done in the old way with regard to the bilateral relations between the two countries." ¶15. "HILLARY'S DIPLOMATIC BARGAIN," editorial in July 22 Telugu daily, EENADU: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is known to be a very shrewd bargainer. In one of the markets in Delhi, she purchased a kurti [shirt] priced at Rs 200 for Rs 150 and she bought a metal bracelet which was priced similarly for Rs 135. Hillary on behalf of America is a master at diplomatic bargaining." ¶16. "FAVORABLE GUEST," article in July 20, independent Telugu daily, SAKSHI: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has lauded the self-confidence and sprit of India. She stayed in the historic tower wing of the Taj Mahal hotel. While condemning the incident, she appreciated the fight that India was carrying out against terrorism." BURLEIGH