MEDIA REACTION: PM SINGH'S U.S. VISIT, NPT,

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SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PM SINGH'S U.S. VISIT, NPT,
COPENHAGEN; 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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PM SINGH'S U.S. VISIT
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1. "INDIA, AMERICA IN THE NEW AGE," op-ed in December 6
Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "PM Singh's U.S. trip was
more about symbolism than substance. America's pledges
to fight terror in India's neighborhood seem to be
diplomatic. It remains to be seen if the US will really
exert pressure on Pakistan to take action against anti-
India terror groups. Although President Obama wrote to
Zardari that the U.S. will no longer tolerate
Islamabad's reluctance to act against Lashkar and other
jihadi groups, Obama also praised Pakistan and promised
a more enhanced U.S.-Pakistan relationship. On Af-Pak,
there is concern in India as to what will happen when
the US leaves the region, leaving India to grapple with
the Taliban. India had hoped that the creases in the
nuclear deal will be smoothened out during Singh's
visit, but even that did not happen. Why is the US
silent when it comes to endorsing India's name for the
permanent membership of the UN Security Council?
Finally, the US's tilt toward China is evident."

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NPT
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2. "NPT AND INDIA IN CHANGING SCENARIO," op-ed in
December 7 Hindi daily, DAINIK HINDUSTAN: "The NPT is
still a big hurdle in the U.S.-India nuclear deal.
India opposes nuclear weapons, but refuses to sign the
NPT. We need to drop this contradiction. At the same
time, it is true that the NPT is flawed and there are
double standards at international level on the issue.
The U.S. gave birth to the NPT; so the U.S. will have
to make a respectable place in it for India."

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COPENHAGEN
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3. "THE EARTH IS ONE," editorial in December 8
independent Kolkata Bengali, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA:
"India, the fourth largest polluting nation in the
world, has to take responsibility to reduce pollution.
By announcing its own goal of reducing carbon emission,
India has gained morally with a right of mounting
pressure on other nations to curb pollution."


4. "CHALLENGE BEFORE COPENHAGEN," editorial in December
8 Leftist Kolkata Bengali, GANASHAKTI: "The problem is
that the adamant attitude of the U.S. puts a big hurdle
before a smooth and effective implementation of the
climate change policy. Every developed nation must
adopt leading roles in reducing the intensity of carbon

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emission. Developing nations also cannot evade their
responsibility."


5. "CHALLENGES OF COPENHAGEN," editorial in December 8
Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN: "Reducing
carbon emissions is a big challenge because there is no
other way to save the environment. No single country,
industry or individual should be exempted from
observing strict emission norms. The Copenhagen Summit
should take strong measures to ensure this."


6. "POLLUTION MEETINGS: FROM KYOTO TO
COPENHAGEN," editorial in December 8 centrist Gujarati
daily, DIVYA BHASKAR: "There seems to be no hope of a
real solution on global warming. This is mainly due to
the adamant approach by big nations, especially
America, that even refused to accept the Kyoto protocol
on green house emissions. All the talk about emission
cuts is nothing but a strategy by the developed world
to impede the development of poor nations by pressuring
them to cut carbon emission rates."
ROEMER