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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 OTTAWA 002326 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
SIPDIS 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL MOPS MARR PK AF CA
SUBJECT: PM LINKS PAKISTAN TO AFGHAN MISSION; MEDIA COMMENT 
 
 
¶1. (U) Summary: Prime Minister Harper joined other world 
leaders on December 27 in condemning the murder of Benazir 
Bhutto, stressing that Bhutto's death "cannot be allowed to 
permit any delay in the return of Pakistan to full 
democracy."  Harper expressed concern about the implications 
of Bhutto's death on regional stability, and specifically on 
Afghanistan and the effort Canadian troops are making in 
Kandahar.  News of Bhutto's assassination dominated the 
Canadian press, with commentary emphasizing the need to shore 
up democracy in Pakistan through elections. End summary. 
 
PM CONDEMNS BHUTTO KILLING, EXPRESSES CONCERN ON REGIONAL 
STABILITY 
--------------------------------------------- ------------- 
 
¶2. (U) On December 27, Harper joined President Bush and other 
world leaders in condemning Benazir Bhutto's assassination. 
Harper emphasized that Bhutto's death "cannot be allowed to 
permit any delay in the return of Pakistan to full democracy, 
something the people of Pakistan have been waiting for far 
too long."  The prime minister told reporters the world 
community has two roles to play in the aftermath of Bhutto's 
assassination -- to "offer our support and cooperation with 
the government of Pakistan and the authorities" and to 
"continue to press the government to continue on the path of 
restoring full democracy."  Speaking to reports in Calgary, 
Harper also expressed concern about regional stability and 
its impact on "the valiant efforts" Canadian forces are 
making in Afghanistan, saying the government has been 
concerned about events "undermining democracy and stability" 
in Pakistan for several months.  In November, Canada joined 
with other Commonwealth countries to suspend Pakistan's 
membership in the organization in response to President 
Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule and jailing of 
opponents. 
 
CANADIAN PRESS COMMENTS ON BHUTTO MURDER 
---------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. (U) All major Canadian newspapers dedicated their key 
editorials to the situation in Pakistan.  The centrist Globe 
and Mail comments that Bhutto's assassination could give Mr. 
Musharraf the "pretext he needs" to again declare marshal 
law, but urges that "the election should proceed, and Ms. 
Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party should demand nothing less." 
 The editorial stresses that the election scheduled for 
January 8, "damaged though it may be, represents an act of 
defiance against those who would lead Pakistan into 
darkness." 
 
¶4. (U) The left-of-center Toronto Star argues that delaying 
the election "by weeks, not months" would be justified if 
more time is needed to establish the conditions necessary to 
hold a democratic election.  The newspaper comments that, 
just like in Afghanistan, "there is no pure military 
solution" along the Pakistan-Afghanistan border.  It 
emphasizes that a political solution requires the legitimacy 
of a democratic government in Pakistan. 
 
¶5. (U) The National Post, a conservative national daily, 
Q5. (U) The National Post, a conservative national daily, 
comments that Bhutto's death cast a "dark cloud over 
Afghanistan" where Canadian troops are "locked in a 
protracted war."  The Post says the fact that Bhutto's "voice 
has now been silenced will not only make democratic reform in 
her own country more difficult, but in Afghanistan, too." 
 
¶6. (U) The Ottawa Citizen underlines that world leaders must 
make it clear that they will not tolerate President Musharraf 
using Bhutto's assassination to "justify his police state" or 
"exploit, for personal political gain, the death of his 
rival."  The daily remarks that "we in the insulated West" do 
not "have the luxury" of ignoring Pakistan.  Pakistan is 
"teetering," the editorial states, and "if it falls the 
pieces will come flying in our direction." 
 
COMMENT 
 
OTTAWA 00002326  002 OF 002 
 
 
------- 
 
¶7. (SBU) With analysts suggesting that Pakistani instability 
could embolden extremists on the Afghanistan-Pakistan border 
and further endanger Canadian troops in Afghanistan, 
developments in Pakistan will likely weigh on Canada's 
national debate and upcoming parliamentary vote on whether to 
extend its mission in Kandahar from February 2009 to 2011. 
While regional instability could make Canada's NATO allies 
less likely to deploy troops to southern Afghanistan, 
bolstering assertions that Canada should not extend its 
mission as it is sharing too much of the burden in 
Afghanistan, Pakistani volatility could also strengthen the 
conservative government's argument that it is imperative that 
Canadian troops stay the course in Afghanistan. 
 
Visit Canada,s Economy and Environment Forum at 
http://www.intelink.gov/communities/state/can ada 
 
BREESE