MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-CHINA RELATIONS, INDIA-

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 001698 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-CHINA RELATIONS, INDIA- PAKISTAN RELATIONS, AFGHANISTAN; 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-CHINA RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "HOTLINE OF RELATIONS," editorial in August 12 Hindi daily, DAINIK HINDUSTAN: "Both India and China are mature in diplomacy, but their deep distrust of each other does not allow any progress in relations. The decision to set up a hotline between them was the only outcome of last week's talks. In a recent development, A Chinese think-tank suggested that India should be broken up into 30 independent states. India can retaliate, but that would sour relations. 40% of the world's population lives in these two countries. Normal India-China relations are, therefore, in the interest of the entire world." -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶2. "DIPLOMATIC SUCCESS," editorial in August 12 nationalist Hindi daily, RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Pakistan's acceptance of four dead bodies out of nine Pakistani terrorists killed in the Mumbai attacks will be considered a diplomatic success for India. India's diplomatic pressure on Pakistan should continue, and Pakistan's probe into the Mumbai attacks should not be conditional. Since Pakistani nationals planned the attack on their soil, it is Pakistan's responsibility to cooperate in bringing them to justice." -------------- AFGHANISTAN -------------- ¶3. "AN ACID TEST FOR HAMID KARZAI," op-ed article August 13 centrist Gujarati daily, DIVYA BHASKAR: "The second presidential election in Afghanistan, scheduled for August 20, will be an acid test for Hamid Karzai, US President Barack Obama and the NATO nations. Political analysts are describing Karzai as a failed leader because even today the people of Afghanistan suffer from corruption and insecurity. There is a deep sense of frustration among the electorate that the Karzai government has failed to lift the people from the morass of despair by not fulfilling the promises of democracy and development. The pertinent question therefore is: will democracy be able to take firm root in this landlocked nation?" ROEMER