MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000265

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E.O. 12958:N/A
TAGS: KMDR KPAO PGOV PREL IN
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS,
U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS; 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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INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS
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1. "SUCCESS OF TALKS DEPENDS ON PAK ARMY," commentary
by former Indian Ambassador to U.S. Naresh Chandra in
February 8 Hindi daily, DAINIK JAGRAN: "Although
Pakistan has been dragging its feet on booking the
perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks, India has done the
right thing by extending its hand for talks. It is up
to General Kiyani to make or mar the success of this
initiative. Is India being soft in proposing talks? Yes
of course, but someone had to do it! Was it American
pressure? Maybe yes, but that's not new -- there has
been international pressure on both India and Pakistan
for over four decades."


2. "EVEN WE SAY-LOVE PAKISTAN," op-ed in February 8
Hindi daily, NAVBHARAT TIMES: "The Times of India and
the Jang Group of Pakistan have developed a track 2
initiative called Aman ki Asha [hope for peace]. The
buzzword of this campaign is - love thy neighbor. The
idea of loving Pakistan can be blasphemous in India,
because our psyche has been trained to think otherwise.
But this is an idea whose time has come. We should
erase false boundaries, because ultimately we are the
same people."


3. "INDO-PAK DIALOGUE," editorial in February 8 right-
of-center Urdu daily HINDUSTAN EXPRESS: "Pakistan has
accepted India's proposal for foreign secretary level
bilateral talks. It means dialogue between India and
Pakistan is about to resume. However, both countries
are unyielding over their respective stands. For India,
the subject of mutual talks should be terrorism
particularly, the trans-border terrorism, while
Pakistan is adamant to resume comprehensive talks. This
kind of finger-pointing has to stop, or else only
extremists will benefit."


4. "EXTREMISM DOMINATES OVER PAKISTAN'S POLITICS,"
editorial in February 8 right-of-center Urdu daily
MUNSIF: "In different cities of Pakistan, Jamaat-ud-
Dawah's speeches on the occasion of Kashmir Solidarity
Day make one feel that there is a government parallel
to the Zardari government in Pakistan which is being
headed by Hafiz Saeed. These furious speeches have been
delivered at a time when India and Pakistan are
preparing to resume bilateral talks once again. If
Pakistan is desirous of a consolidated dialogue, it
will have to quiet these irrational voices which want
bloodshed."


5. "HOPE PAKISTAN MATURES A BIT," op-ed in February 9
centrist Marathi daily, SAKAAL: "Pakistan's invitation
to resume foreign secretary level bilateral talks with

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India is more than welcome. Both India and Pakistan,
but particularly the latter, is ravaged by the
insurgent activities of extremist terrorist groups. In
such circumstances, it is good to meet at the
negotiating table. But one hopes the Pakistani
administrators come to the table with some wisdom and
maturity, unlike in the earlier times when they came up
with their sly and unacceptable agenda of Kashmir."

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U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS
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6. "TENSION IN U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS," op-ed in centrist
Marathi daily, NAVSHAKTI: "China has reacted irately to
America's decision to sell arms to Taiwan. China
perceives the U.S stance as a gross intervention into
China's internal affairs and a roadblock in its
reunification efforts. Now that China has threatened to
retaliate, the U.S. has to rethink about whether it can
antagonize a major trading partner and a partner with
common interests in the prevention and suppression of
terrorism and nuclear proliferation."
ROEMER