MEDIA REACTION: SINO-INDIA RELATIONS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002172 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: SINO-INDIA RELATIONS, TERRORISM IN INDIA, INDIA AND THE UN, IRAQ; NEW DELHI. This countrywide cable reports on relevant media reaction/opinion from IndiaQs large non-English press. The Mission reports on English-language media via email through the daily QEarly EditionQ summary. -------------- SINO-INDIA RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. QCHINA: VERY LITTLE SWEETNESS IN TIES,Q editorial in October 25 nationalist Hindi daily, PUNJAB KESARI: QPM Manmohan Singh and his counterpart Wen JiabaoQs meeting in Thailand seems to have brought about some sweetness in the otherwise bitter India-China relations. China is our biggest international neighbor, and we should resolve our conflicts via talks, although it is easy to get provoked. China has never respected any territorial agreement. The border dispute is a century old, but war cannot resolve it. We need to change the situation, which is leading to bilateral distrust. But this has to be done through dialogue, not belligerence. ¶2. QCHINA SPEWS VENOM,Q editorial in October 26 right- of-center Gujarati daily, MUMBAI SAMACHAR: QWill the meeting between Indian Prime Minister Singh and his Chinese counterpart Wen Jiabao help find an amicable solution to these border issues? We believe it will not, as China has ulterior long-term objectives vis-`- vis its India policy. The Indian leadership has to adopt a tough stand against an obstinate neighbor. -------------- TERRORISM IN INDIA -------------- ¶3. QNO TERRORIST ATTACK AFTER 26/11,Q editorial in October 24 Hindi daily, VIR ARJUN: QPM Manmohan Singh recently warned heads of the Indian armed forces against the threat posed by the ongoing situation of unrest in neighboring Pakistan. Although there has been no major terrorist attack in India since the Mumbai incident in November 26 last year, there are regular intelligence reports of imminent attacks. The present Home Minister P. Chidambaram, in comparison with his predecessor Shivraj Patil, has been more serious and sensitive about his work. Terrorists may try hard, but they will not win if our security and intelligence are sound and active. -------------- INDIA AND THE UN -------------- ¶4. QUNITED NATIONS: INDIAQS CONTRIBUTION,Q op-ed article in October 24 centrist Marathi daily, PUDHARI: QAt a time when the global relevance of United Nations is being talked about, India approaches the 64th anniversary of its membership in the U.N. on October ¶30. India has been a firm supporter of all the basic principles of the United Nations. It cannot be denied that India stood at the forefront during the UN's NEW DELHI 00002172 002 OF 002 tumultuous years of struggle against colonialism and apartheid, its struggle towards global disarmament and the ending of the arms race. As the United Nations strives to find solutions to newer challenges, India pledges to work, with abiding faith and hope, towards the UN's success. -------------- IRAQ -------------- ¶5. QPITIABLE CONDITION OF IRAQI WOMEN,Q editorial in October 24 right-of-center Urdu daily, RASHTRIYA SAHARA: QAround 30-year long wars have made Iraq a country of widows. At least one million Iraqi women are destined to live a life of widowhood, poverty and helplessness. Paying no heed to the pressure exerted by the world community, America made an incursion into Iraq, which turned the country into a heap of debris. America itself is suffering losses of lives and money but it does not make any difference in the basic situation. Neither the Iraqi government, nor America, has any justification for the plight of the Iraqi people. Now it is duty of the international community, including the UN, to rise on the occasion and make their all out efforts to make Iraqi women independent and self-reliant. ROEMER