MEDIA REACTION: G20 MEETING, NPT ISSUES,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002008 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: G20 MEETING, NPT ISSUES, PAKISTAN, AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN; 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. -------------- G20 MEETING -------------- ¶1. "EXPANDING HORIZONS: GROWING FROM 8 TO 20," editorial in September 28 centrist Marathi daily, SAKAAL: "Rather late in the day but the G8 nations, including the U.S., have ultimately realized the need to bring developing nations like India to the negotiating table. Following the G20 official announcement in Pittsburgh, the White House announced that the G20 leaders had reached a historic agreement to put the G20 at the center of its efforts to work together to build a durable recovery from a global economic recession. It is a major win for the developing nations that have pushed hard for the broader body to reflect the shift in power to the developing world." ¶2. "G-20: AGENDA IS INCOMPLETE," editorial in September 29 right-of-center Gujarati daily, MUMBAI SAMACHAR: "While many important decisions, like monitoring and control of black money and tax evasion, have been taken at the G20 meeting, much needs to be done in terms of setting up mechanisms to counter terrorist financing. Besides, the industrialized nations' arrogance is on display when it comes to tackling global warming. These industrialized nations have conveniently put the onus on developing nations as if they are singularly responsible for climate change. Until the leading nations share a greater responsibility to solve world's major problems, meetings like G20 will not yield much." -------------- NPT ISSUES -------------- ¶3. "NPT'S CIRCLE," editorial in September 27 right-of- center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "If the UN Security Council's resolution on NPT was not directed at India, then why was it presented at all? Iran's secret nuclear program should make U.S. and its allies realize the insignificance of this flawed treaty. This treaty is biased and ineffective. For India, just refusing to sign the NPT is not enough. It should push the agenda of world disarmament. India cannot be compared with Pakistan and North Korea. Why does the U.S. never mention ISRAEL in this context? It is meaningless to expect India to sign the NPT also because the NSG has recognized India as a nuclear state." -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- NEW DELHI 00002008 002 OF 003 ¶4. "PAKISTAN'S DECEPTIVE STANCE ON DIALOGUE WON'T WORK ANYMORE," editorial in September 29 centrist Gujarati daily, DIVYA BHASKAR: "Indian Foreign Minister S.M. Krishna's blunt 'no' to Pakistan's request for back- channel resumption of dialogue with India is a welcome sign. Krishna very rightly mentioned that such dialogues are meaningless unless Pakistan takes action against terrorists and dismantles their infrastructure. This is India's course correction after the Sharm-el- sheik blunder which gave Pakistan an edge. Besides, nations like America are not serious about rooting out terrorism. America is only interested in crushing the terrorism that is against its interests." ¶5. "AMERICA RAISES INDIA'S DANGER BY INCREASING ASSISTANCE TO PAKISTAN," editorial in September 27 Bengali BARTAMAN: "When Obama took oath as the 44th president of the U.S., he asserted that America's non- military assistance to Pakistan would be conditional. Has there been any change in the situation in the last eight months in Pakistan? Have the Pakistani rulers ever been found sincere in curbing terrorism? Is there any doubt about Pakistan's implication in the Mumbai terror attack? Are not the American leaders able to see Pakistan's chicanery involving the Mumbai attack master mind Saeed? Even the controversial Pakistani scientist AQ Khan is admitting that it was Pakistan which helped Iran and Libya in their nuclear program. Can then any U.S. decision to raise the amount of assistance for Pakistan be called prudent? At the very least, this will not help in wiping out terrorism, and this will mean more danger for India." -------------- AFGHANISTAN-PAKISTAN -------------- ¶6. "NEW STRATEGY IN AFGHANISTAN," op-ed in September 27 right-of-center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "US commander in Afghanistan General Stanley A. McChrystal believes that while more resources will not win the Afghanistan war, under-resourcing could lose it. He said so in a report now under review by President Barack Obama. Many Congressmen are opposed to sending more troops to Afghanistan, and want U.S. to support more self-governance in Afghanistan. Against this backdrop, Obama's new strategy will have to be decided. The question for the US is -- can Pakistan tackle Al- Qaeda and the Pakistani Taliban if it is adequately funded? Pakistan knows if the threat of terrorism goes, then it will not get any U.S. financial support." ¶7. "PAKISTANI NUCLEAR PROLIFERATION," op-ed in September 26 right-of-center Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "A.Q. Khan's revelations have shocked the world. America is the most surprised because Pakistan's government and military had until now claimed they had no role in the proliferation of nuclear technology to other countries. Pakistan is adept at feigning innocence. Former Pakistan president Pervez Musharraf recently admitted that Pakistan used US military aid to NEW DELHI 00002008 003 OF 003 strengthen defenses against India. What more evidence does Mr. Obama want to come down hard on Pakistan? The U.S. actually fears that if Pakistan is not paid, it will not fight Al Qaeda and the Taliban. Recently the Obama administration gave several million dollars to Pakistan again, but it does not know where that money is being spent." ROEMER