MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN/TERRORISM,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000678 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: 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. -------------- NORTH KOREA -------------- ¶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 NEW DELHI 00000678 002 OF 002 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." -------------- PAKISTAN/TERRORISM -------------- ¶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." -------------- U.S. FOREIGN POLICY -------------- ¶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