MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000236

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STATE FOR NP, AC, PM

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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,
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.

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INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS
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1. "UNNECCESARY ACTION," editorial in February 7 right-
of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "National Security
Advisor M.K. Narayanan has done it again, speaking out of
turn and thereby harming the interest of the nation.
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee last week almost
snubbed Narayanan in public for stating in a media
interview that Pakistan has reverted to India after the
receipt of the Indian dossier and asked New Delhi a
number of questions to which answers were being
provided.... Even Home Minister Chidambaram corroborated
Pranab's statement. After Pakistan, it is now perhaps the
turn of the Indian establishment to speak in different
voices on Islamabad's response to the dossier prepared by
India on the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks. The National
Security Advisor should learn some diplomacy, and not
harm the nation's interest. Pakistan has done nothing on
India's dossier. The question now is how long are we
going to tolerate Pakistan's inaction?"


2. "TOUGH CHALLENGE FOR INDIA," op-ed in February 7
right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The November
26 Mumbai terrorist attack has been subjected to careful
study by various U.S. agencies. The key findings are
before the U.S. Senate Committee on Homeland Security and
Government Affairs. An expert who submitted his findings
is Brian Michael Jenkins... as of today, the Pakistani
civil society has not yet made up its mind to fight,
without reservation, the jihadi cult. As long as the
Pakistani civil society does not take a stand on this
issue, it cannot be helped either by India or the rest of
the world. India has to prepare itself to wage a campaign
against jihadi terrorism. Pakistan should be contained by
the international community until forces within that
country rise to fight against the jihadi cult. The Indian
response following the Mumbai attack has been feeble.
There is a limit beyond which Pakistani civil society
cannot blackmail the rest of the world, claiming that
unless their unreasonable demands are continuously met --
even while they fail to take a stand against jihadis --
they will end up as a failed state."

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PAKISTAN
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3. "BLOW TO PAKISTAN" editorial in January 28 Bhubaneswar
Oriya SAMBAD. "On the question of terrorism, Pakistan is
gradually getting isolated. When President Obama says
that Pakistan is not doing enough against al-Qaida and
the Taliban it becomes clear that AMERICA is not prepared
to condone Pakistan's soft approach to terrorism. Not
only military aid, AMERICA may also slash development

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assistance to Pakistan. There is doubt about Pakistan
getting IMF aid if it fails to act against the
fundamentalists. In this circumstance, there is just one
way open to Pakistan: it must act seriously against
terrorist organizations. If required, it may take global
help to fight terrorism. The new civilian government
must keep in mind that Pakistan may face destruction if
it fails to fight terrorism"


4. "OBAMA: RIGHT MOVE" editorial in January 28 Cuttack
Oriya SAMAJ". "President Obama's practical approach to
fight terrorism is evident from the cut in military aid
to Pakistan. Pakistan is fighting the Taliban and al-
Qaida in Afghan border areas, and U.S. aid is meant to
help the Pakistan army. Both Afghanistan and Pakistan
are the breeding grounds of terrorism, but it was never
stated so explicitly before Obama. For the first time
the U.S. has bracketed Pakistan with Afghanistan, and
this makes India
better placed in U.S. foreign policy. By appointing
special envoys to oversee the peace process in troubled
areas, Obama has made it clear that he is serious about
restoring normalcy in troubled areas. The world may see
better times if his plans work as expected."


5. "PAKISTAN'S PITIABLE TOKENISM" editorial in the
February 7, 2009, Mumbai edition of left-of-center
Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "Pakistan is trying
rather far-fetched and unbelievably ridiculous ways to
absolve itself of the responsibility of the recent terror
attacks in Mumbai. The latest in the series of these
strategies is Pakistan's claim that the 26/11 attack was
engineered by Bangladesh... in one sense Pakistan has,
unknowingly, admitted the anti-India conspiracy hatched
by the Jehadi elements in Pakistan and Bangladesh. In
fact, ever since past Pakistani President Pervez
Musharraf visited Bangladesh after the 9/11 terror
attacks, the Bangladesh-based terrorist groups like
Harkat-ul-Jihad or Huji were given a sort of go-ahead for
their anti-India agenda. Whatever the situation in other
countries where terror flourishes, the blame for the
Mumbai attacks will in any case have to be shared by
Pakistan's intelligence, army and terrorist outfits..."


6. "DR. A.Q. KHAN'S RELEASE: SLEEPLESS NIGHTS AHEAD FOR
INDIA AND THE GLOBAL COMMUNITY!" editorial in the
February 9, 2009 centrist Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA.
"....the news of the release of disgraced Pakistani nuclear
scientist A.Q. Khan by Pakistan's government sends
shivers down the spine. Nations including America,
Britain and India are shocked and surprised at the turn
of events leading to the release of the man who acquired
notoriety for surreptitiously supplying nuclear
technology to rogue and irresponsible nations [Iran,
Libya and North Korea]. Khan's release may propel him
again to conduct his nefarious nuclear market that has
the potential to endanger global peace and security.
Besides, at a time when the world is viewing Pakistan as
the epicenter of terrorism, such acts only further
corroborate the international community's belief. Now
all eyes are glued on President Obama, expecting him to

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take some tangible action against such rogue elements."
A similar editorial appeared in the February 7, 2009
multi-edition centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR.
MULFORD