MEDIA REACTION: OBAMA 100 DAYS, SRI LANKA,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000990 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: OBAMA 100 DAYS, SRI LANKA, PAKISTAN; 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. -------------- OBAMA 100 DAYS -------------- ¶1. "OBAMA INITIATES TAX REFORMS TO CREATE JOBS" op-ed article by Ganesh Natrajan of NASSCOM in May 15 centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL: "The protectionist anti- outsourcing voice from the U.S. need not send shivers down the spines of Indian Business Process Outsourcing units (BPOs)and the IT sector. The global companies that earn profits here are subject to a tax rate of 33.9 per cent and the impact of the proposed rUwQNBhPOs that provide services to companies from other countries, including America, will primarily be governed by Indian laws and may escape the impact of changes in the US tax laws. India therefore need not be overcome by the well-known FUD (fear, uncertainty, doubt) -- a common term in the computer industry that describes a campaign to spread exaggerations..." ¶2. "GENUINE RESPONSE NEEDED," editorial in May 15 centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT: "It is interesting to note how the Sri Lankan government and the Tamil Tigers have construed President Obama's call for peace. The Sri Lankan government has welcomed Obama's call for the rebels to release captive civilians, but won't address the issue of artillery fired by the government into the war zone. The rebels appreciated Obama's concern for the humanitarian crisis, but they were non-committal on surrendering their arms. Conveniently ignoring the criticism of their own conduct, both warring parties continue to endanger peace in South Asia...." -------------- SRI LANKA -------------- ¶3. "HUMANITARIAN CRISIS," editorial in May 15 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN. "The Sri Lankan government suspended combat operations for only two days under growing pressure from the international community... this will hardly bring any relief to the civilians trapped in the war zone. In fact, the humanitarian crisis in Sri Lanka is gradually assuming dangerous proportions. The global community should do more to save innocent lives in Sri Lanka. It must not try to avoid responsibility by calling this human catastrophe a Sri Lankan internal matter." -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- NEW DELHI 00000990 002 OF 002 ¶4. "TOPSY TURVY," editorial in May 14 independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "Does Zardari's remark indicate that Islamabad wants to extend the hand of diplomatic friendship to India? The Pakistan Army will not allow this to happen, even if Zardari hopes so... fighting against the Taliban may continue in the short term, but Pakistan's long-term battle will always be with India." BURLEIGH