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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 002993 
 
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: US-INDIA RELATIONS, WORLD 
ECONOMIC CRISIS, SENATOR OBAMA'S ELECTION, KASHMIR 
ELECTIONS, INDO - PAK RELATIONS, AFGHANISTAN; NEW DELHI. 
 
This cable reports on relevant media reaction from 
India's large non-English press. Embassy New Delhi 
reports on English-language media via email in the daily 
"Early Edition."  USG customers please write to Geeta 
Krishali (KrishaliG@state.gov) to subscribe to the "Early 
Edition." 
 
------------------ 
US-INDIA RELATIONS 
------------------ 
 
¶1. "HURDLES OF EMERGING NATION," editorial in the 
November 24 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The U.S. 
Directorate of National Intelligence assessment is in 
line with the expectations of many Indians that India 
will emerge as a major world power by 2025. Hopefully, 
this U.S. assessment will inspire the policymakers of 
India, but we will have to clear serious economic and 
social hurdles. Besides ethnic and regional insurgencies, 
the terrorist forces can also obstruct nation's progress. 
How can it be ignored that a large section of the 
country's population is still below poverty line. So, the 
fascinating figures of our economic growth are 
meaningless. The nation cannot progress with the lack of 
essential elements --accountability and transparency-- in 
the Indian administration. Similarly, the political 
system does not seem to be helpful either in realizing 
the dream of making the nation a superpower by 2020." 
 
--------------------- 
WORLD ECONOMIC CRISIS 
--------------------- 
 
¶2. "NEW BASIS OF ECONOMY," op-ed article in the November 
24 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic and 
international affairs analyst K. Subrahmanyam: "The 
Washington G-20 economic summit is the irrefutable 
evidence of the globalization of international economy. 
Unlike the Great Depression of 1930 all the major 
countries have agreed to handle the current economic 
turmoil globally in a cooperative manner. The IMF has 
forecasted that the economies of U.S., E.U. and Japan 
will depend on the developing countries to overcome the 
economic recession... It is clear from the G-20 summit that 
the world has become multi-polar and the basis of power 
balancing is shifting. The Bush administration was 
sensitive to the changes taking place in power balancing 
and therefore, it helped India become a world power. 
Barak Obama's declarations are also giving similar 
indications. Including Indians in his new team is perhaps 
such a signal. Now a lot will depend on whom does he give 
the charge of his important ministries?" 
 
¶3. "THE U.S. ECONOMY CANNOT SUFFER ANY HARM!" the first- 
part of an editorial-page analysis in the November 25 
independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by 
Dr. Anup Sinha, Professor of Economics at Indian 
Institute of Management (IIM), Calcutta.  "The first 
question that comes to the mind is that how could such a 
huge volume of debts stand on such a small foundation. 
 
NEW DELHI 00002993  002 OF 003 
 
 
What did they do who were in charge of regulation? Why 
didn't the rating agencies give out any signal regarding 
extreme risk involvement in the entire business? The 
financial institutions did not show detailed transactions 
of these debt instruments in their balance sheets in 
order to evade attention of regulatory agencies. The 
transactions were so complex and unique that there was no 
reliable benchmark available in the market regarding the 
worth of an instrument. Problems did not arise so long as 
the market was booming and real estate price was soaring. 
A confidence was generated all around about the immunity 
of the U.S. economy. No one had an inkling of the 
impending crises of the real estate market. But, 
unfortunately, the real estates failed to keep the 
promise." 
 
------------------------ 
SENATOR OBAMA'S ELECTION 
------------------------ 
 
¶4. "TO WHAT EXTENT OBAMA WILL CHANGE U.S.," commentary in 
the November 23 AMAR UJALA Hindi daily by Bharat Dogra: 
"Barack Obama's victory is certainly worth welcoming, but 
is it right to expect a significant change? The U.S. 
politics, basically, revolves around two parties-- 
Republican and Democratic. Both parties are almost of the 
same opinion on many issues like -maintaining U.S. pre- 
eminence, promoting Israeli interests in the West Asia 
and giving special importance to the American companies 
etc. Many powerful lobbies are active in U.S. to ensure 
continuity in the important U.S. policies. Firstly, Obama 
could not project any outstanding traits from his 
speeches. If he wants a change, he will have to face the 
powerful U.S. lobbies.... For a basic change the U.S. 
democratic system needs to be changed, which will open 
doors to the political parties other than Republican and 
Democratic, and those of the opinion of bringing 
fundamental change in the political structure." 
 
----------------- 
KASHMIR ELECTIONS 
----------------- 
 
¶5. "A SLAP ON THE FACE OF THE SEPERATISTS IN KASHMIR" 
editorial in the November 25, 2008, Mumbai edition of 
centrist Marathi daily SAKAAL.  "The 64 pre cent voter 
turnout in the first phase of polls in the troubled Jammu 
and Kashmir state is a welcome development. It speaks of 
the belief of the local people in the democratic process. 
Despite the Hurriyat Conference poll boycott call, early 
snowing and freezing temperatures, people thought it was 
worth their while to stand in queues and cast their 
precious vote. Even the Election Commission was skeptical 
about the popular response to the polls. The commissioner 
in fact term the elections as a risk. And the risk was of 
course evident in the sporadic incidents of violence. 
Hundreds of protesters stoned a polling station and 
clashed with security forces at Kurhama near Ganderbal. 
Violence temporarily halted voting at the booth, but 
scores of voters soon returned to cast the ballot..." 
 
NEW DELHI 00002993  003 OF 003 
 
 
 
-------------------- 
INDO - PAK RELATIONS 
-------------------- 
 
¶6. "EXTRAORDINARY INITIATIVE BY PAKISTANI PRESIDENT", 
editorial in the November 24 right-of-center Urdu daily 
"RASHTRIYA SAHARA", New Delhi: "Giving a new dimension to 
the Indo-Pak bilateral relations, President of Pakistan, 
Asif Ali Zardari ensured that his country will never use 
any nuclear weapon first. This statement ignited hope, 
once gain, that talks may resume for resolving the mutual 
disputes. And both the countries will raze down the walls 
of differences and misunderstandings for solving the 
problems of their people. Commencement of bilateral trade 
through corridors in Jammu and Kashmir is a concrete 
initiative. We should hope that comprehensive 
negotiations between India and Pakistan will resume after 
assembly elections in Jammu and Kashmir. It must be noted 
that end of clash between two major powers in the region 
will bring peace, prosperity and unity in South Asia." 
 
----------- 
AFGHANISTAN 
----------- 
 
¶7. "AFGHANISTAN AND AMERICA", editorial in the November 
24 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", Hyderabad: "It 
seems that America and its allies in Afghanistan did not 
learn any lesson from their extremely shameful defeats, 
and America is vying for its further defeats by trying to 
defeat insurmountable Afghan people. In fact, the first 
and foremost purpose of America is to capture Afghanistan 
and completely eradicate Taliban. Knowing that America 
can never defeat Taliban, the former considers its 
presence in Afghanistan essential because, in this way, 
it can restrict them within Afghanistan. Otherwise, 
Taliban militants would create problems for America in 
Iraq and even in Iran. One of American objectives is to 
smash Islam-loving tribes of Afghanistan. Due to these 
reasons, American forces along with allied forces will 
remain stationed in Afghanistan till any Moses rise 
against American Pharaoh." 
WHITE