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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 002664 
 
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: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT - INDIAN MEDIA OPINION ON 
U.S. SECRETARY CONDOLEEZZA RICE'S VISIT TO INDIA, OCTOBER 
4, 2008 
 
¶1. Begin summary:   U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice's October 4 visit to New Delhi was widely labeled by 
the Indian media as her victory lap, with expectations 
that the 123 Agreement would be inked.  The October 5 
coverage was generally straightforward, reflecting a 
clear sense of disappointment that the visit ended 
without a signing of the bilateral 123 Agreement.. 
Headlines typically noted that New Delhi accorded 
Secretary Rice the "red carpet" but "tied her in red 
tape" insisting that President Bush must first sign the 
enabling legislation into law.  The GOI is reportedly 
waiting to see a statement accompanying President Bush's 
signature, which they hope will reinforce the commitments 
of reliable fuel supply contained in the 123 Agreement. 
Reports said although the Secretary did not express any 
regret, her delegation's disappointment was "palpable." 
Coverage also highlighted Secretary Rice's emphatic 
clarification that "the 123 is done" and that there are 
no "open issues."  The President is expected sign the 
legislation approved by the Congress on October 8. End 
summary. 
 
-- "RICE IS HERE BUT DEAL STILL NOT ON TABLE--INDIA 
RAISES 'LAST MINUTE' QUESTIONS ABOUT US RIDERS" 
 
¶2. THE TIMES OF INDIA report said: "U.S. Secretary of 
State Condoleezza Rice traveled across the world for a 
celebration that was not to be. She was denied the last 
hurrah on the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal because of some 11th 
hour muscle-flexing by India."  The paper said "India 
stopped short of signing the 123, indicating that it 
preferred to wait for US President George Bush to sign it 
into law first" and it was "holding out because it 
expects President Bush to address the riders that have 
been introduced into the new bill." 
 
The paper said "Sources said Rice was disappointed, 
especially because the U.S. State Department has been 
saying that the President's signature was not a pre- 
requisite for Rice to do the honors in Delhi. Saturday's 
event could have been managed with more grace to avoid 
the "underwhelming" experience of a deal that both 
governments consider a triumph. To make Rice's last visit 
a little more memorable, Prime Minister Man Mohan Singh 
invited her to dinner, an honor normally reserved for 
heads of governments. Sources said it was Singh's way of 
thanking Rice for all the heavy lifting she has done for 
the deal, particularly before the approval from the NSG 
and U.S. Congress." 
 
-- "DELHI GIVES RICE THE RED CARPET, TIES HER IN RED 
TAPE" 
 
¶3. THE INDIAN EXPRESS report said: "Though Rice did not 
express any regret, her delegation's disappointment with 
India's refusal to sign before U.S. President Bush does, 
was palpable."  The report also said Rice made clear that 
there were "no open issues" between India and the U.S. on 
the nuclear deal and that the President would sign the 
agreement into law very soon. She cleared the air about 
the 123 and the Hyde Act by saying "The Hyde Act is 
 
NEW DELHI 00002664  002 OF 004 
 
 
completely consistent with the 123 agreement... the 123 
agreement is consistent with the Hyde Act and that the US 
would keep to its commitments to both". 
 
-- "SHE CAME, SHE DISCUSSED, SHE COULDN'T SIGN" 
 
¶4. HINDUSTAN TIMES Foreign Editor Amit Baruah in his 
report said: "It wasn't quite the Kodak moment it should 
have been" and that "With External affairs Minister 
Pranab Mukherjee making it clear to visiting U.S. 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice that President Bush 
must first sign an enabling Bill, sealing the 123 
Agreement awaits another visit, another occasion."  The 
report said Rice had informed Mukherjee that Bush would 
sign the enabling Bill next week and that "They have also 
invited Mr. Mukherjee to Washington to sign the 123" 
however disappointment among the American diplomats was 
evident and "one of them wondered why there should have 
been a Rice trip to India if the 123 was not going to be 
signed." 
 
¶5. Baruah said "New Delhi is waiting to see a statement 
accompanying Bush's signature, which they hope will 
reinforce the many commitments of reliable fuel supply 
contained in the 123 Agreement". 
 
-- "A HANDSHAKE YES BUT NO NUKE DEAL" 
 
¶6. In a similar vein, MAIL TODAY said "Belying 
expectations, India and the U.S. did not sign their 
historic civilian nuclear agreement during the two day 
visit of U.S. Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice to New 
Delhi. While both sides called it a procedural delay, the 
Man Mohan Singh government seems to be awaiting fuel 
supply assurances from Washington before inking the 
pact". 
 
-- "Nuke Deal: No Rice ceremony" 
 
¶7. ASIAN AGE report said, " U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice could not sign the 123 agreement here 
but she made up for it by discussing the "next steps" in 
the India-US relationship, in areas such as collaboration 
in Afghanistan and defense". She was quoted saying "I 
don't want anyone to think we have open issues" adding 
there were administrative details that needed to be 
worked out. 
 
-- 123... BUT RICE LEAVES WITHOUT INKING DEAL 
 
¶8. THE ECONOMIC TIMES report said " In yet another twist 
that mirrors the journey of the nuclear deal, India and 
the U.S. failed to sign the 123 agreement and U.S. 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice left India empty 
handed". According to the report initially, New Delhi had 
hoped President Bush would sign the legislation into law 
on Friday so that the bilateral agreement could be signed 
between Mr. Mukherjee and Ms. Rice on Saturday afternoon. 
"When it became clear that this was not going to happen, 
the signing ceremony was put on hold". 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00002664  003 OF 004 
 
 
-- INDIA SHOULD SIGN THE N-DEAL IN DUE COURSE 
 
¶9.  MAIL TODAY editorial today said "The government has 
done the right thing by not hurrying into signing the 123 
Agreement with the U.S. during Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi this week. As she 
herself pointed out, there are several administrative 
details that need to be worked out before India can come 
on board. For one thing the President has to receive the 
final version of the bill from the Congress to sign. 
Further, he is expected to make some important 
Presidential signing statements that will clarify how the 
administration views the legislation that has been 
passed. 
 
¶10.  The 123 Agreement that is to be signed is a 
perfectly good document for New Delhi to sign on. 
However, in passing it finally, the U.S. Congress has put 
some riders to the legislation which require 
clarification. 
 
-- INDO-US RELATION CAN HELP IMPROVE AFGHANISTAN 
 
¶11. THE ASIAN AGE report said "Afghanistan can be one of 
the many starting points for putting the India-United 
States partnership to use globally, according to U.S. 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice." The paper said "Ms 
Rice's remarks come at a time when Washington is 
reviewing its strategy in Afghanistan and Pakistan". 
 
-- LEFT, ALLIES OBSERVE "BLACK DAY" 
 
¶12. The pro-Leftist HINDU carried a five column report 
with a photograph of Left party leaders staging a protest 
march against the nuclear deal on Saturday. The report 
said activists were stopped midway and not allowed to 
reach Hyderabad House where U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice was scheduled to hold discussions. The 
rally was addressed by several Left party leaders who 
said the deal would "impact India's sovereignty" and that 
"Ms Rice had assured the U.S. Congress that India would 
be barred from enrichment and reprocessing technology in 
the next NSG meeting to be held in November". 
 
¶13. The report quoted Left party leaders as saying "It 
was worrisome that India was committing itself to buying 
a minimum of 10,000 MW worth of reactors from the "dying" 
U.S. nuclear industry that had not received any new 
orders for the last 30 years. They also demanded that the 
Central government convene a session of parliament to 
discuss the "adverse impact" of the deal on the country. 
 
-- WE'RE ALL FOR STRATEGIC TIES WITH US: BJP TO RICE 
 
¶14. "The BJP is all for India's strategic ties with USA, 
leader of the Opposition L K Advani stressed in his 
meeting with U.S. Secretary of state Condoleezza Rice." 
THE INDIAN EXPRESS reported. Advani said his party wanted 
the deal to be passed but for the Hyde act as that 
"adversely impacts the country's nuclear program" which 
his party could not agree to. 
 
NEW DELHI 00002664  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶15. The BJP leader also raised the controversy 
surrounding Gujarat Chief Minister Narendra Modi saying 
"He never applied for any visa and that he was an able 
and popular Chief Minister of a very important Indian 
state". 
 
¶16. THE HINDUSTAN TIMES report said "BJP Leader L K 
Advani discussed the repeated denials of US visa to 
Narendra Modi and sought to know if it was proper on the 
part of the U.S. to deny visa to an elected Chief 
Minister". The report said Rice told her officials to 
furnish details about the State Department's statements 
on the issue. 
 
¶17. Another report in THE HINDUSTAN TIMES said India 
hoped the Joint terror Mechanism between New Delhi and 
Islamabad will be made "more effective" and External 
Affairs Minister Mukherjee discussed the "growing 
militant threat to the civilian government in Pakistan" 
with Ms. Rice. 
WHITE