MEDIA REACTION: AFGHANISTAN, SINO-INDIA

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 000038 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: AFGHANISTAN, SINO-INDIA RELATION, MUSLIMS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES; 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. -------------- AFGHANISTAN -------------- ¶1. "DRAGON'S HANDS STRETCH TO AFGHANISTAN," op-ed article in January 12 centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL: "Of late, the U.S. and Pakistan have been deliberating on a greater role for China in Afghanistan, that is either in terms of committing peacekeeping troops to Afghanistan or helping to develop infrastructure. If and when China's stakes go up in war-ravaged Afghanistan, the geo-political equations will also change and India will have to be extra alert. China's intervention has many facets, especially the perpetual interest in acquiring Afghanistan's untapped oil, gas, and iron resources." ¶2. "DEPRESSED U.S. SOLDIERS COMMITTING SUICIDE," commentary in January 11 nationalist Hindi daily, RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "U.S. soldiers fighting on foreign lands are under tremendous pressure. The pressure of the never-ending Iraq and Afghanistan wars is evident, both in the battlefield and on the personal front as soldiers commit suicides. Soldiers quitting the army and their families opposing war are a matter of concern. Obama must ensure the early return of American soldiers." -------------- SINO-INDIA RELATION -------------- ¶3. "BORDER IS MELTING!" editorial in the right-of- center Gujarati daily, MUMBAI SAMACHAR: "The recent news of China usurping hundreds of thousands of kilometers of Indian land in the northeast region is shocking for every citizen of this country. It is time for Indian leaders to study history to understand the implications of this situation." -------------- MUSLIMS IN WESTERN COUNTRIES -------------- ¶4. "WEST'S OPPOSITION TO HIJAB [VEIL]," editorial in January 11 right-of-center Urdu daily, SIASAT: "The western world seems to be opposed to the Islamic concept of hijab. It is highly condemnable that countries like America, France, Germany and Britain are making all out efforts to unveil Muslim girls and women. These efforts aim at destroying Islamic values. If Western countries value human rights and individual liberty, they should abandon their heinous intentions regarding the use of hijab." ROEMER