MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 001621 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: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, MYANMAR: PROLIFERATION OF ATOMIC WEAPONS; 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. -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "PRIME MINISTER'S NEW POLICY," op-ed in August 2 right-of-center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "Prime Minister Singh's message in Parliament was clear: Pakistan is a tough neighbor, and we along with other nations should prepare it to denounce terror. Since Pakistan has nuclear weapons, all nations will have to adopt a patient strategy to deal with its army and the ISI." ¶2. "MEANINGLESS DIALOGUE WITH PAKISTAN," op-ed in August 2 right-of-center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "India may have to pay a heavy diplomatic price due to its goof-up with the joint statement at Sharm-el- Sheikh. The U.S. has been unable to build pressure on Islamabad, despite knowing about Pakistan's anti-India activities. We should strive for peace with Pakistan, but not at the cost of our national interest. The U.S. has turned a blind eye toward Pakistan's terrorist activities for its own vested interests. It did not even try to get to the bottom of allegations that American financial aid to Pakistan is being used against India." ¶3. "INDIA-PAKISTAN DIALOGUE: MANMOHAN SINGH'S NEW GAMBLE," editorial in August 2 left-of-center Marathi daily, MAHARASHTRA TIMES: "Prime Minister Singh has rightly pointed out the inevitability of the bilateral dialogue between two geographically-close neighbors like India and Pakistan. One appreciates the validity of that argument. But the point is that Pakistan's stance towards the terrorist networks flourishing on its soil has not undergone any sea change after the Mumbai terror attacks. Pakistan's attitude and its track record are not encouraging. It does not seem to appreciate or reciprocate the peacemaking efforts made by India in the last six months." ¶4. "CONTINUE WITH THE DIALOGUE," editorial in August 1 right-of-center Gujarati daily, GUJARAT SAMACHAR: "The Congress-led UPA government's recent statements that dialogue with Pakistan is the only way forward smacks of its infirmity and helplessness in dealing with a rogue neighbor. The government's approach of having dialogue with Pakistan despite the latter's policy of bleeding India through a thousand cuts has enraged the people of India beyond a limit. Besides, the Indo- Pakistan joint statement also indicates the Congress government's feeble foreign policy approach." ¶5. "TALKS WITH PAKISTAN SHOULD CONTINUE," MP Mohammad Adeeb's remarks in August 2 right-of-center Urdu daily, HAMARA SAMAJ: "Our foreign policy has lost its way. It NEW DELHI 00001621 002 OF 002 is inclined toward America but hollow as far as values are concerned. India is a big power and we should be firm on our values. All nations across the world need our support. Saddam Hussein and Yasser Arafat were our time-tested friends. They were eliminated by the cruel powers and we could not support them in their bad days. We are losing our friends. We should go back to our old foreign policy and lead the world once again. India must continue talks with Pakistan." -------------- MYANMAR: PROLIFERATION OF ATOMIC WEAPONS -------------- ¶6. "PROLIFERATION OF ATOMIC WEAPONS," editorial in August 3 right-of-center Urdu daily, HINDUSTAN EXPRESS: "It's a matter of concern not only for India but for the entire world community that Myanmar is very close to joining the nuclear club with the help of North Korea and may obtain an atomic bomb anytime soon. The involvement of Pakistan's absconding atomic scientists can't be ignored. It may also be a planned conspiracy hatched by Pakistan to spoil the balance of power in South Asia. Why isn't the world adopting a similar harsh attitude towards Myanmar and North Korea as it is towards Iran?" ROEMER