MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN/TERRORISM,

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN/TERRORISM,
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY; 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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NORTH KOREA
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1. "ARBITRARY ACT" editorial in April 6 DAINIK JAGRAN
Hindi daily: "The United Nations Security Council is
obviously ineffective in checking North Korea. North
Korea's desire to equip itself with weapons of mass
destruction seems to be turning into an obsession. There
is a need to find a permanent solution to control this
fetish. This act also highlights the fact that the
nuclear non-proliferation treaty, which the U.S. loves,
has been unsuccessful."


2. "STOP NORTH KOREA" editorial in April 6 AMAR UJALA
Hindi daily: "North Korea has shown its disregard for UN
restrictions and international opposition by launching a
missile. China's support makes Pyongyang bold, just as
U.S. support pumps up Israel. If this missile has a range
of more than 6,000 kilometers, even Alaska is within its
reach, so the U.S. concern is natural. North Korea's real
strategy is to blackmail America. It has a background of
lies, hypocrisy and nuclear blackmailing... it has violated
act 1718 of the Security Council. Strict action should be
taken against North Korea."


3. "NORTH KOREA'S MUSCLE" editorial in April 7 centrist
Marathi daily LOKMAT: "North Korea's nuclear program is a
global worry. The latest missile test by the country is
an act of open defiance against America, Japan and
Russia, which had opposed any such nuclear tests. It goes
very well with the consistent anti-U.S. stance adopted by
North Korea since its inception. Although North Korea's
nuclear program is directed against the U.S., the entire
world is concerned about the country's political agenda.
An effective global response needs to be devised vis-`-
vis North Korea..."


4. "KOREA'S VENOM" editorial in April 7 centrist Marathi
daily SAKAAL: "At a time when President Obama is
reorienting U.S. foreign policy, North Korea's missile
test adds to the odds stacked against him. Russia and
Japan were and are against immediate economic sanctions
being imposed on North Korea because they fear such
sanctions embolden the U.S. - the self-styled world
police. But these countries are equally disturbed by the
latest nuclear test. China is also against this test, not
because it supports the U.S., but because China fears
that North Korea's nuclear ambitions will instigate Japan
to further nuclear armament. And this kind of nuclear
race does not serve the geo-political interests of either
China or Japan, or any country in Asia..."


5. "TRUCE IS THE WAY OUT," editorial in April 7
Bangalore-based left-of-center Kannada daily
PRAJAVANI: "The U.S. laxity in removing North Korea from

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the rogue nations list has resulted in deterioration of
relations between North Korea and others. The present
crisis is an offshoot of this U.S. neglect. North Korea
was already facing sanctions from the international
community. Imposing more sanctions on it will only worsen
the situation. The U.N. Security Council should resolve
this crisis through negotiations."

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PAKISTAN/TERRORISM
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6. "LAHOLIBAN" editorial in the April 7 right-of-center
Gujarati daily GUJARAT SAMACHAR. "India's neighboring
nation is witnessing two phenomena: one is the flushing
out of terrorists, and the other is the advancement of
the Taliban, who have penetrated into important cities
like Lahore. It is high time the people of Pakistan
realized that merely receiving American aid is not going
to serve any purpose unless they themselves initiate
corrective measures, failing which Pakistan in all
likelihood will fall to the Taliban."

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U.S. FOREIGN POLICY
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7. "A WEAPON-FREE WORLD?" editorial in April 7
independent Bengali daily ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "Obama's
remarks, clearly pointing out new U.S. thinking on the
nuclear issue, are totally different from those of Bush
the warmonger. The tone carries no threat, browbeating,
or intimidation... his nuclear policy is reflective of his
goodwill in building multifaceted and multilateral
relations with several countries, and it shows that he is
not merely led by Pentagon advisors."
BURLEIGH