SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: COVERAGE OF POTUS AF-PAK

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002444

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: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: COVERAGE OF POTUS AF-PAK
SPEECH IN INDIAN MEDIA -- Part III (concluded)

SUMMARY: President Obama's Afghanistan-Pakistan speech
and related topics continued to feature prominently in
the Indian news for the third consecutive day. In
Parliament, Foreign Minister Krishna said India and the
U.S. have a shared interest in the stability and
development of Afghanistan and that India wanted
Pakistan to take credible steps to destroy safe havens
for terrorists. In a separate statement, the Indian
Foreign Office welcomed the U.S. strategy "on
strengthening the government of Afghanistan and the
Afghan security forces." In commentary, there were
apprehensions about what would happen once U.S. forces
exit Afghanistan. Editorialists expressed fears about
potential future Taliban control of Kabul and a
worsening of Pakistan-guided violence against India.
While conceding that the "longer the U.S. stays in
Afghanistan and Pakistan, the more comforting it is for
New Delhi," commentators felt that India will have to
come up with a "fallback plan as and when Washington
decides to reduce [its] presence." Meanwhile, the
vernacular press cautioned India to stay away from
pitching in militarily with the U.S., because "the
Afghanistan problem is purely of America's making." End
summary

--------------
NEWS SUMMARY: INDIA WELCOMES AF-PAK POLICY
--------------


1. Media reported that India on Thursday welcomed the
emphasis in the U.S. strategy on strengthening the
government of Afghanistan and the Afghan security
forces, and that India hoped the international
community was prepared for a long haul in the region.


2. India's foreign office spokesperson was reported
saying: "We also welcome President Obama's reiteration
of the need to squarely tackle terrorism, and for
Pakistan to ensure that terrorists do not enjoy safe
havens on its territory. India believes that it is in
the interest of the international community to impress
upon Pakistan that it must use all its influence and
resources to implement its commitments to dismantle the
infrastructure of terrorism and to deny sanctuary to
all terrorist groups who operate from its soil."

-------------- --------------
---
INDIA, U.S. SHARE INTERESTS IN STABILITY OF AFPAK:
KRISHNA
-------------- --------------
---


3. External Affairs Minister S.M. Krishna Thursday said
India and the U.S. shared interests in the stability
and development of Afghanistan and wanted Pakistan to
take credible steps to destroy safe havens for
terrorists. Minister Krishna was reported saying: "We
hope in the days to come the U.S. will play a more
active role and join hands with India to contain
terrorism."

NEW DELHI 00002444 002 OF 004



--------------
EDITORIALS IN ENGLISH PRESS
--------------


4. "SURGE IN CLARITY," op-ed in December 4 centrist
English business daily, THE ECONOMIC TIMES: "The
announcement of US President Barack Obama's new
Afghanistan strategy is a tacit admission of the
failure of the reconstruction project while recognizing
Pakistan as the major problem. New Delhi must remember
that Indian and US interests in the region converge
only until a certain point and that India will have to
deepen and broaden its engagement with the various
players in Afghanistan in order to keep pursuing its
long-term interests in the region. While staying the
course, India must also start hedging its bets."


5. "A GOOD STRATEGY FOR DEFEAT," editorial in centrist
English business daily, THE MINT: "With the likely exit
of US forces from Afghanistan in 2011, there is a high
possibility of Taliban taking control of Kabul again
and a Pakistan-guided violence against India taking a
worse turn. Given the pace at which our national
security establishment works, the chances are the
results of 2011 are already upon us. Do we comprehend
the dangerous situation in our western neighbourhood?"


6. "CHANGES IN SCRIPT," op-ed in December 4 centrist
English daily, THE INDIAN EXPRESS: "The longer the US
stays in Afghanistan and Pakistan, the more comforting
it is for New Delhi. So now that Obama has made his
political decision, India too will have to reassess and
that would also have to include a fallback plan as and
when Washington decides to reduce presence. Status quo
in policy is no longer an option."


7. "SELF-CONTRADICTORY: OBAMA'S ESCALATION-EXIT
PARADIGM," editorial in December 4 centrist English
daily, THE STATESMAN: "One facet of Obama's Afghan
policy contradicts another, and it is unlikely in the
extreme whether public opinion within USA will be
convinced. Obama has renewed the pledge to carry out
Bush's war. Mr. Obama has no alternative but to work
with a spurious centre of authority. He has made a
pregnant statement, but it is doubtful if the
escalation-exit strategy will be remarkably
successful."


8. "SEPARATELY TOGETHER," editorial in December 3 left-
of-center English daily, NEWS TODAY: "The biggest
risk Obama runs with this strategy is that it gives al-
Qaeda a motive to launch new attacks against the United
States. For, the Taliban wants the US troops out of
Afghanistan, but al-Qaeda wants them to be stuck there
indefinitely, taking causalities and killing Muslims.
New Delhi would do well to play its cards based on its
own realities. Kabul has potential to cause more harm
to, say Mumbai than Minnesota. Let's face it; India is
in this with America, separately together."


NEW DELHI 00002444 003 OF 004


--------------
VERNACULAR PRESS
--------------


9. "OBAMA, AFGHANISTAN AND US," editorial in December 4
Hindi daily, PUNJAB KESRI: "Obama has demonstrated that
he wants to decisively take on the Taliban and Al Qaeda
and hand over the reins of the country to those who it
rightfully belongs to. India should keep working in
Afghanistan, but we need to be careful about not being
seen to be too close to the U.S."


10. "NEW AMERICAN PLOY," editorial in December 4 Hindi
daily, RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Obama's call to Prime
Minister Singh is a clever American ploy to ensnare
India into sharing some of its Afghanistan burden.
Obama needs to pacify an irate American public back
home and that's what his new Af-Pak plan is all about.
India needs to stay away from providing any military
help that it may be asked for, because the Afghanistan
problem is purely of America's making."


11. "AFGHAN SURGE," editorial in December 4 Hindi
daily, NAI DUNIYA: "Obama's decision to expand troops
in Afghanistan may or may not be good for America, but
it is definitely a welcome development for the rest of
the world. India should carry on with the development
work we are doing in Afghanistan, but we should decline
requests for any military assistance in that country.
This will not be in India's favor, because the war in
Afghanistan is not going to end any time soon."


12. "OBAMA ON BUSH'S WAY," editorial in December 4 Urdu
daily, MUNSIF: "U.S. President Barack Obama's
announcement of withdrawing American troops from
Afghanistan in 2011 is worth appreciating, but the
announcement of sending more troops is not. On the one
hand, Obama criticizes Bush on Iraq, but on the other
hand he is adding fuel to the Afghan war! Perhaps Obama
wants to extend America's military operations to
Pakistan."


13. "OBAMA'S AFGHAN TANGLE," editorial in December 4
left-of-center Marathi daily, LOKSATTA: "The decision
of sending additional troops to Afghanistan is in
itself an acknowledgement of U.S. failure in the
country."


14. "ONE MORE PROOF OF AMERICAN DOUBLE STANDARDS,"
editorial in December 4 centrist Gujarati daily, DIVYA
BHASKAR: "Obama's strategy doesn't reflect the lofty
talks of 'change' he spoke in his early days. In fact,
what he has tried to achieve, by simultaneously
announcing additional reinforcements and a timeline for
troop withdrawal, is to strike a balance between war-
mongers and those who are against it. Besides, while
allowing his troops to strike deep inside Pakistan, he
has also rewarded Pakistan with more aid and
ammunition. One doubts if Obama's dreams of withdrawing
from the strife-torn, complex region in 2011 will be
realized."

NEW DELHI 00002444 004 OF 004


ROEMER