MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS/ WAR

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000289

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS/ WAR
AGAINST TERRORISM, HOLBROOKE VISIT; NEW DELHI - FEBRUARY
14-17, 2009.

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/ WAR AGAINST TERRORISM
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1. "PAKISTAN4S CRISIS," editorial in the February 16
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "Pakistan
President Asif Ali Zardari's saying that the Taliban is
trying to take over Pakistan is not surprising. The
Taliban and Al-Qaida are spreading terror with the aim of
global jihad and their first target is Pakistan and
Afghanistan. The Pakistan government is internally
accused of taking military action in the terrorist
controlled areas only for the sake of the U.S., but not
out of national interest. Zardari should not forget that
it is nobody but Pakistan who created and supported these
terrorists. Zardari will have to understand that the
terrorists' supporters are very well represented in the
Pakistani administration because of its policy of
exporting terrorism to India. If Zardari has actually
realized what he is saying then he should shed his post-
Mumbai incident attitude. India can help Pakistan.
Pakistan should accept that it alone cannot fight
terrorism and should let India, the U.S. and others
destroy terrorist hubs."


2. "PAKISTAN ON TRACK," editorial in the February 14
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The entire
world, including India, wants to end global jihadi
terrorism. Since Pakistan is the centre of terrorism, our
policy and outlook should be focused on how to destroy
the basic terrorist structure developed on Pakistani
soil. We should prepare Pakistan to give 100% against
terrorists. Considering Pakistan has accepted - if only
partly - that Kasab and other terrorists are its
citizens, and that the Mumbai terror attacks were planned
on its soil, we should wait but be alert. We will have to
answer Pakistan's long list of questions. But the good
thing is that the world is in our favor on the Mumbai
strikes. And those nations which sympathize with Pakistan
cannot openly support it. However, since the U.S. is
already focusing on Pakistan and Afghanistan to give its
war against terror a decisive turn, Pakistan will
certainly become the centre of this strategy. That means
that the result will be in our favor. The Indian strategy
should be planned considering all these aspects."


3. "PAKISTAN'S REPLY," editorial in the February 14
centrist NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "In response to the
Indian dossier, Pakistan finally accepted that the Mumbai
terror attacks were conceived on its soil. It has
realized that if it does not change its attitude it could
be isolated. The change of power in the U.S. has also
affected its attitude. U.S. President Barack Obama has
given Pakistan a strict warning that if it wants U.S. aid
it will have to take effective measures against

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terrorists. His special envoy Holbrooke's Pakistan visit
is meant to make Pakistani leaders understand that it
cannot, as it has, adopt a strategy of striking deals
with the U.S. in the name of terrorism. Most likely
Pakistan answered India's dossier after Holbrooke put
pressure on it. Whatever the case, India cannot trust
Pakistan because it is expert in playing tricks. It takes
action only under pressure. Thus, we should continue our
campaign among the international community so that
Pakistan cooperates in carrying forward the investigation
process."


4. "ZARDARI CRIES WOLF" editorial in the February 17,
2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT.
"After acknowledging the Pakistani connections with the
Mumbai terror attacks, Pakistani President Asif Zardari
has adopted a new survival strategy. He has spelt out
the likelihood of an anti-Pakistan terror strike from the
Taliban. India and the entire world community needs to
look into the veracity of his latest claim, because all
that happens in Pakistan affects India as well. Zardari's
claim may be a sly attempt to extract U.S. financial aid
in the name of Taliban terror... of course, the Taliban is
a notorious entity and it may have actually prepared for
a takeover of Pakistan, as Zardari claims. Whatever the
circumstances, Zardari's remarks cannot be overlooked..."


5. "PAKISTAN OFFICIALLY ACCEPTS RESPONSIBILITY FOR MUMBAI
ATTACKS" editorial in the February 14, 2009 centrist
Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA. "At last, succumbing to an
incessant barrage of warnings from India and pressure
from the international community, especially America,
Pakistan has finally and officially accepted the
responsibility for the 11/26 Mumbai terror attacks. It
is worth noting here that this late admission comes as a
surprise considering that Pakistan has been in denial
mode over this issue from the very beginning. One should
not forget that much needs to done. Pakistan is the
epicenter of terrorism. The Taliban has threatened India
with retaliation if India attacks Pakistan. This speaks
volumes of Pakistan's association with the radicals and
extremists. What Pakistan has done is only mild scolding
of such rogue elements. Pakistan's sincerity in the war
against terrorism can only be trusted if it hands over to
India all those involved in the Mumbai attacks. Mere
admission doesn't exonerate Pakistan from the greater
responsibility of ensuring that the guilty are brought to
justice appropriately." A similar editorial appeared in
the February 14, 2009 Mumbai-based centrist Gujarati
daily JANMABHOOMI.


6. "A PRAISE WORTHY ATTEMPT", editorial in the February
14 right-of-center Urdu daily RASHTRIYA SAHARA, New
Delhi: "The Pakistani home minister for internal security
said that both India and Pakistan would have to combat
the menace of terrorism together. He added that seeking
information from India is also towards this end, so that
the culprits involved in the Mumbai attacks could be
brought to book. The government of India has also lauded
this attempt on the part of Pakistan. This latest step

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taken by Pakistan can very well be called a positive step
in the right direction to build good relations between
the two countries and permanent stability in the
subcontinent region. The government of India should also
try to reap the harvest by providing all possible
detailed information in this respect, extending
cooperation to the Pakistani leadership, so that the
culprits can be apprehended and the victims of the
dastardly acts of terror may get some solace. Pakistan
also needs to appreciate this, knowing that it itself is
facing the wrath of terrorists."


7. "CONFESSION BY PAKISTAN", editorial in the February 14
right-of-center Urdu daily MUNSIF, Hyderabad: "On the
whole, it is indeed the first step of Pakistan in the
right direction and of course it is a laudable step.
Another aspect which is being reiterated by Pakistan is
the possible involvement of local people in the Mumbai
attacks. Great caution needs to be observed in replying
to Pakistan. The question does not pertain to any one
community; rather it is an issue related to the massacre
of many innocent people. No law would justify the acts
perpetrated by a murderer, on the condition that
sufficient evidence to bring him to book is made
available by India. The queries being put forth by
Pakistan can be answered on the basis of this evidence.
However, no person from any community should be arrested
merely on the basis of trivial suspicion. This issue does
not pertain to India and Pakistan alone; instead it
concerns the entire global world. Pakistan may have acted
under the steady pressure of the international community,
particularly America.


8. "FINALLY, PAKISTAN ADMITS", editorial in the February
14 right-of-center Urdu daily SIASAT, Hyderabad: "It
could be the pressure of the international community or
the continuous hammering by New Delhi which has finally
led Pakistan to make an acknowledgement. Now that it has
owned up, it is its moral responsibility to take
comprehensive action against those who are responsible
for taking innocent lives; this would make the world
trust in the intentions and sincerity of Pakistan in
bringing the culprits to book. India should also try to
use diplomatic channels to keep building up the pressure
on Pakistan, keeping in view its confessions so that
action is taken against the guilty. The Pakistani
government should be given adequate time to act upon its
promises and demonstrate its sincerity. India avoided
military action against Pakistan in the aftermath of the
attacks. Instead, it resorted to diplomatic channels to
exert itself. At last, it has emerged successful, while
Pakistan was made to own up."

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HOLBROOKE VISIT
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9. "OBAMA'S SPECIAL CAMPAIGN," op-ed in the February 15
right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic
affairs specialist K. Subrahmanyam: "The Obama

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administration has appointed Richard Holbrooke as a
special representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan to
concentrate on this most complex part of U.S. foreign
policy. President Obama accepts that the Afghanistan
problem cannot be solved until the safe havens for the
Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Pakistan are destroyed. He
clarified that Pakistan will only get U.S. aid if it acts
forcefully against terrorists.... Holbrooke will face not
just jihadi terrorist ideology, but the nuclear threat as
well. Pakistan can blackmail the U.S. and the
international community with the prospect of nuclear
weapons technology getting into the wrong hands. The
Pakistan ARMY and government have proved, by releasing
A.Q. Khan when Holbrooke came to the region, that they
permitted nuclear proliferation and that if their demands
are not taken into account it could happen again. It has
given Holbrooke a fair idea of his limits in the region."
MULFORD