MEDIA REACTION: PAKISTAN, CUBA; NEW DELHI.

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 000792 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: PAKISTAN, CUBA; 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. -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶1. "AMERICA'S AF-PAK POLICY DANGEROUS," op-ed article by foreign affairs columnist Lata Raje in April 22 centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT: "The U.S. is finding it difficult to contain the Taliban in Pakistan. Afghanistan claims that unless the terrorist hideouts on the Pakistani borders are destroyed, the chaos will continue. These hideouts can be destroyed only when the terrorist outfits are starved of funds. Herein lies the problem. The U.S. is not ready to recognize the fact that funds given to the Pakistani government are being diverted to the wrong hands. The new Af-Pak policy has retained the clause that allows U.S. military and financial aid to Pakistan. Even though Pakistan has for years utilized the U.S. aid to destabilize its neighbors (including India and Afghanistan),the U.S. does not feel the need to make changes to its Pakistan policy." ¶2. "NO ONE CAN SAVE PAKISTAN" op-ed article by political analyst Vidyut Thakar in the April 22 centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR. "At a conference last week in Tokyo, America, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the European Union decided to give a massive $5 billion grant to Pakistan to fight fundamentalism on its home turf... but the question is whether Pakistan's political leadership possesses the will to take the bull by the horns. Incidents over the last three years suggest that Pakistan is in such a quandary that even its otherwise active army feels helpless to guarantee peace and order. Even the U.S. can't ensure that giving Pakistan such enormous aid will liberate it from the growing clout of the Taliban." -------------- CUBA -------------- ¶3. "THE OBAMA POLICY," editorial in April 22 independent Bengali ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "It is too early to say how capable Barack Obama is, but that he is bold is already evident from his changed policy towards Cuba. Obama has brought about a major shift in U.S. policy on Cuba by lifting nearly half-century old trade and economic sanctions on Cuba. In addition, Chavez's friendly overtures to Obama during the Pan-American Summit indicate possible changes in America's relations with Venezuela. This could be a welcome beginning, but more strong steps are already expected of a President who takes such bold policy decisions even before completing his first hundred days in office." BURLEIGH