MEDIA REACTION: U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS,

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000009 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: U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS, PAKISTAN, TERRORISM; 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. -------------- U.S.-INDIA RELATIONS -------------- ¶1. "INDIA KEEPS FALLING IN BIG NATIONS' TRAPS," op-ed in January 4 right-of-center Hindi daily, AMAR UJALA: "2009 was an eventful year for Indian foreign policy. Initially the U.S. seemed to be helping India by putting diplomatic pressure on Pakistan to punish the perpetrators of the Mumbai attacks. The U.S.-India nuclear deal created much euphoria, but that has fizzled out. The Copenhagen summit's success demonstrated how much pressure India's new friend U.S. can create on it. Coaxing, threatening, and alluring India in the name of climate change, WTO or human rights, etc., is likely to continue in 2010 also." -------------- PAKISTAN -------------- ¶2. "DETERIORATING SITUATION IN PAKISTAN," editorial in January 4 right-of-center Urdu daily, MUNSIF: "Giving up on Afghanistan, the U.S. has turned its attention toward Pakistan. Hence the drone attacks and Blackwater. The U.S. wants control over Pakistan's nuclear arms, because weapons of a Muslim country are the envy of Israel, America and the western world. Regrettably, Pakistan's rulers are stooges of America. They care not for their motherland or their people." -------------- TERRORISM -------------- ¶3. "ACIDIC POLITICS OF 26/11 TERROR ATTACKS," op-ed in January 5 centrist Marathi daily, SAKAAL: "The most worrying aspect of the 26/11 Mumbai terror attacks is the fact that any intelligence on possible attacks does not necessarily translate into quick alerts and actions. The police claim they knew of these attacks and also some of the earlier strikes in Mumbai. These revelations only show that intelligence alerts are just frittered away. The common people of Mumbai do not benefit from these early warnings, and attacks continue." ¶4. "ELIMINATE TERRORISM," editorial in January 6 right- of-center Gujarati daily, GUJARAT SAMACHAR: "India needs to be extremely cautious before taking any important decision like withdrawing armed forces from the Kashmir valley. Pakistan continues to abet and encourage terrorism and is still not showing any seriousness in bringing to justice those involved in the Mumbai 2008 terrorist attacks. India needs to adopt a tough anti-terrorism policy, like the one pursued by NEW DELHI 00000009 002 OF 002 America in Afghanistan in flushing out the Taliban." ROEMER