MEDIA REACTION: COPENHAGEN, HEADLEY CASE; NEW

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 002575 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: COPENHAGEN, HEADLEY CASE; 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. -------------- COPENHAGEN -------------- ¶1. "WORLD CLIMATE CONFERENCE," editorial in December 17 Bhubaneswar Oriya centrist SAMAYA:"It is good to see that America, responsible for maximum environmental pollution, is eager to reduce emission of greenhouse gases. The Copenhagen summit should take into account the views of developing countries such as India, China, Brazil and South Africa, and try to work out a solution under which the developed countries in Europe as well as America should provide climatic knowhow and adequate financial aid to developing countries. No doubt, there is a pressure on India and China to curtail emissions. A lot now depends on President Obama. He can persuade the developing countries to supply climatic knowhow and increase development aid. The outcome at Copenhagen is crucial from this point of view." ¶2. "IT WAS WRONG ON THE PART OF INDIA TO SIDE WITH CHINA," op-ed article by former union environment minister Suresh Prabhu in centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL: "It was not a very good idea for India to be grouped with China at the Copenhagen summit. China did not even acknowledge its carbon emissions and dared to harp on what other developed and developing countries need to be doing to mitigate global warming. By doing this, China has steered criticism away from itself without India even realizing it. However, India will have to speak out against China at future global summits, specifically in Mexico in 2010." -------------- HEADLEY CASE -------------- ¶3. "U.S. CHALLENGE," editorial in December 28 Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "The recent attempt to blow up a U.S. plane by an Al-Qaida member shows that terrorism remains a serious threat. Now the West is also spawning terrorists. The Nigerian national who tried to detonate an explosive aboard the Delta-Northwest flight, is an engineering student in U.K. In the name of international efforts, the U.S. is ensuring its personal interests in the war against terror. In the Headley case, the Indian intelligence agencies could not even gain access to him. Is the U.S. only bothered about its own vested interests, or ready to fight terror jointly with other nations as well?" ¶4. "HEADLEY CONTROVERSY," editorial in December 29 right-of-center Gujarati daily, GUJARAT SAMACHAR: "Even Indians will agree that Headley's extradition to India would be caught in a political logjam here since India has no proven record of bringing to justice those NEW DELHI 00002575 002 OF 002 involved in terrorist activities. Headley is not only likely to provide more information if he remains in FBI custody but will also receive a harsher punishment, considering the strict anti-terrorist laws in place in the U.S." ROEMER