MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, U.S.-

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000098 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: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS, U.S.- INDIA-PAKISTAN, MIDDLE EAST CRISIS, IRAQ; 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. -------------- INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "EXHAUSTED STRATEGIES..." op-ed article by columnist Ajay Lele in the January 16, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL. "Terrorist Ajmal Kasab's arrest and interrogation is the only instance in which India has compelled Pakistan to admit Pakistani complicity in terrorist violence. But apart from this one instance, which again has not come to fruition in any sense, India has failed to bring Pakistan to book. Various aggressive diplomatic strategies have been devised by India over the years, but Pakistan seems unyielding and unwilling to give in. Moreover, Pakistan has multiple power centers and each of them rarely show the collective readiness to cooperate in the Indian investigations. Now is the time for India to think out- of-the-box. Some durable unconventional strategies, which entail neither military aggression nor economic blockade of Pakistan, need to be arrived at..." ¶2. "WHAT DOES PAKISTAN'S SILENCE MEAN?", editorial in the January 15, right-of-center Urdu daily HAMARA SAMAJ, New Delhi: "Silence and lackadaisical attitude of Pakistan is giving a clear message that it is not serious about punishing the tyrants, and apprehending the anti-social elements. Pakistan's cold response and attitude has also given room to the apprehension that it does not believe in controlling the terrorism growing in the country. Terrorist or murderer, culprit or oppressor hailing from any part of the world, is an enemy of humanity and he cannot be termed as a member of human society. A murderer is a murderer, no matter whether he is an Indian or a Pakistani. It is the high time when Pakistani should play an honest and positive role in matters of terrorism particularly terrorist activities in Mumbai." -------------- U.S.-INDIA-PAKISTAN -------------- ¶3. "U.S. ATTITUDE," editorial in the January 15 centrist NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "America's slapping sanctions on 13 people, including the disgraced A.Q. Khan, does not put an end to the matter. Unfortunately, U.S. is not ready to change its attitude, despite knowing Pakistan's reality... Just expressing concern over the terrorists getting access to the nuclear weapons is not enough. Instead of taking strong action, it supports Pakistan in every possible way. Pakistan's double game has been exposed consistently. The Pakistan government claims that the nuclear weapons are safe, but, the terrorist infiltration to its army was unveiled recently. So, one can imagine how safe they are. U.S. considers Pakistan's role significant in the war against the NEW DELHI 00000098 002 OF 003 Taliban and it is also a vital tool in keeping an eye on China. Thus, U.S. is all for Pakistan even if it does a blunder. Now it is to be seen if U.S. President-elect Obama takes strict actions against Pakistan in the interest of the international community or not." ¶4. "BAD OMEN FROM U.S.," editorial in the January 15 centrist DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Hillary Clinton's announcement of expanding Pakistan economic aid to prop- up its democratically elected government is indeed very disappointing. How can U.S. overlook the fact that the present Pakistan government is just a puppet in the hands of the army and the ISI? The U.S. attitude shows that it is not taking terrorism against India seriously. The U.S.' softness towards Pakistan in the last few days should be a wake up call for India. Perhaps, Obama will also follow in Bush's footsteps in this context. India should not expect any support from the U.S. for deepening pressure on Pakistan. India should change its strategy with immediate effect. Is it not strange that Pakistan has not taken any action against the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks and India has not even called its Ambassador back?" -------------- MIDDLE EAST CRISES -------------- ¶5. "SITUATION IN MIDDLE EAST" editorial in the January 16 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN. "...No one party is to be blamed unilaterally for the current tension in the Middle East... The existence of the state of Israel is a reality...and the situation in the region will remain hostile until the legitimacy of Israel is recognized... There is a sharp division in the Palestinian movement on this issue. The internecine fight between the Hamas and the Fatah movement leaders has considerably weakened the Palestine's cause... This time the international community also did not react strongly because the common people in Palestine are not involved in the fight, which, in fact, is nothing more than an internal skirmish between the Hamas and Israel's army." ¶6. "CONDITIONAL OFFER BY HAMAS", editorial in the January 15 right-of-center Urdu daily SIASAT, Hyderabad: "Only Israel, America or Western Countries are not responsible for the present condition of Palestinians, those countries are also responsible which have formal or informal ties with Israel. Supporting one and all illegal activities of Israel or tolerating them are the worst examples of tyranny. Israel is using deadly weapons and Phosphorus to annihilate Hamas. Innocent citizens are being massacred. No champion and flag-bearer of human rights showed courage to take any notice of Israel's barbarism. The Muslim world which is responsible to save the lives of Palestinian people, is sitting like a mute- spectator. However, conditional offer by Hamas for a cease-fire is an effort to save Palestinians from Israel's aggression, but Israel has expressed its nefarious intentions and designs by rejecting the proposal." NEW DELHI 00000098 003 OF 003 ¶7. "ASSASINATION OF THE UNO IN PALESTINE", editorial in the January 15 right-of-center Urdu daily HINDUSTAN EXPRESS, New Delhi: "Human Rights champions throughout the length and breadth of the world are silent like a dead body. They turned their back towards bleeding children and womenfolk because it is the blood of the unclad, unsung and unfortunate ones. The UNO is crying. These crying are its swansong. Ignoring the cease-fire appeals of Ban Kee Moon and agitations by aid-agencies, Israel and America brought the world-forum to such a pitiable condition. The international forum is taking its last breaths along with dead bodies of Palestinian children. Every Israeli bomb and its every missile are tearing the UNO into bits." -------------- IRAQ -------------- ¶8. "WORTHLESS REPENTENCE OF BUSH", editorial in the January right-of-center Urdu daily RASHTRIYA SAHARA, New Delhi: "In fact, Bush's confession is nothing but an effort to cover his sins before his retirement. As a matter of fact, invasion on Iraq was part of a conspiracy to subjugate the Islamic countries. This invasion was aimed at to snatch the oil wealth of Iraq. It was also a part of accomplishing the nefarious design for "A Greater Israel". Iran is the only power in Islam Dom which is thwarting the conspiracies of western and Zionist powers otherwise all other Muslim countries are licking boots of their master America, and have become mute-spectators of destruction and devastation in Palestine. However Bush's statement-sum-admission regarding CIA is only a bundle of frauds. President Bush, who, anyhow, saved himself from the shoes of Muntazar al Zaidi is trying to save himself from the curse of history which has become his destiny." WHITE