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P 041351Z DEC 08
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 4529
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
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RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9143
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 2988
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7282
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003064 
 
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 REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY RICE'S VISIT 
REINFORCES U.S. ASSURANCES OF SUPPORT TO INDIA AGAINST TERROR 
 
¶1. SUMMARY: The highly positive media coverage of Secretary 
Condoleezza Rice's visit to New Delhi on December 3 has left behind 
the lasting image of America being India's First Friend in the time 
of need. In creating that image, the Secretary's visit was 
supplemented by other significant American presences in India this 
week - those of FBI sleuths toiling with their Indian counterparts 
in Mumbai, and the visits of Admiral Mike Mullen and Senators 
McCain, Lieberman and Graham. The Secretary gave two press 
conferences in New Delhi - one of them jointly with Foreign Minister 
Pranab Mukherjee. Both the press conferences, attended by close to a 
hundred national and international media outlets, generated massive 
coverage in the print and electronic media. The one outstanding 
comment by the Secretary on Pakistan being accountable for 
"non-state actors" too was music to Indian ears. End summary. 
 
-- "U.S. CALLS PAKISTAN'S BLUFF, WANTS ACTION AGAINST TERRORISTS" 
 
¶2. During a joint news conference with Secretary Rice, India's 
Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee said, "There is no doubt the 
terrorist attacks in Mumbai were perpetrated by individuals who came 
from Pakistan and whose controllers are in Pakistan." 
 
¶3. Secretary Rice said Pakistan has a "special responsibility" to 
cooperate with the investigation into the deadly Mumbai attacks. 
Secretary Rice said the US expects all "responsible governments" to 
help with the investigation and "Pakistan has a special 
responsibility to do so and to do so transparently, urgently and 
fully." 
 
-- "RICE'S NO-NONSENSE MESSAGE TO PAKISTAN" 
 
¶4. The Indo-Asian News Service said the U.S. called Islamabad's 
bluff saying it must take "direct and tough action" even if the 
perpetrators are "non-state actors." Asked to comment on President 
Zardari's claim that the Mumbai attackers were "stateless actors," 
Secretary Rice reportedly said: "Non-state actors remain a matter of 
responsibility if it's in your territory." The Indo-Asian News 
Service said this was Rice's no-nonsense message to Pakistan. All 
newspapers and television channels highlighted this observation of 
the Secretary in their reports. 
 
¶5. Secretary Rice reportedly described the strikes in Mumbai as 
"attacks at India and its integration with the world". "I have 
spoken with the home minister, and we are looking at reforms in 
India. The U.S. has experience in counter-terrorism. The special 
focus has to be on terror financing and intelligence sharing," she 
reportedly said. 
 
-- "RICE: WE'LL INSIST ON DIRECT, TOUGH ACTION BY PAKISTAN" 
 
¶6. THE HINDU reported that Secretary Rice admitted that the Mumbai 
terror strikes were more sophisticated than the previous serial bomb 
blasts in several major Indian studies, but wanted the response 
limited to arresting the culprits and ensuring that no further 
attack took place. Pakistan had a central role to play in ensuring 
both these things, she added. 
 
-- "DETERMINED TO GET TO THE BOTTOM" 
 
¶7. THE ECONOMIC TIMES highlighted Secretary Rice's assurance to 
Foreign Minister Mukherjee: "We are going to work very closely with 
you in any way you can to try to get to the bottom of what happened 
 
NEW DELHI 00003064  002 OF 003 
 
 
and then help you act on that." 
 
-- "PAK MUST ACT AGAINST MUMBAI KILLERS: RICE" 
 
¶8. THE TIMES OF INDIA said that in a direct snub to Pakistan, 
Secretary Rice brushed aside President Zardari's alibi that the 
perpetrators of Mumbai terror were "non-state actors," saying it was 
a matter of Islamabad's responsibility and Pakistan needed to act 
against them. The paper's diplomatic editor Indrani Bagchi said 
Secretary Rice will tell Zardari in Islamabad that Pakistan must act 
against the Mumbai killers. 
 
-- "INDIA URGED TO EXERCIZE RESTRAINT" 
 
¶9. THE TRIBUNE said that while Secretary Rice turned the heat on 
Pakistan, she also advised India to exercise restraint, cautioning 
that any move to strike at terrorist camps across the border could 
have "unintended consequences". "Any response needs to be judged by 
its effectiveness and by not creating other unintended 
consequences," the paper quoted her as saying. 
 
-- ADVANI SEES PAKISTAN AGENCIES' ROLE IN ATTACKS 
 
¶10. The Secretary's meeting with L.K. Advani, the leader of the 
Opposition BJP party, was also widely covered in the media. THE 
HINDU reported that in the meeting, Advani emphasized that the 
Mumbai attacks could not have been carried out without the Pakistan 
agencies' knowledge, guidance and training. The Secretary reportedly 
told Advani that these concerns would be registered with Pakistan. 
THE ECONOMIC TIMES reported that the Secretary assured Advani of 
Washington's "full cooperation" to India in the aftermath of the 
Mumbai attack. 
 
-- "U.S. SETS STAGE FOR STRIKES IF PAK DOES NOT ACT" 
 
¶11. THE TIMES OF INDIA reported that even as Secretary Rice was in 
New Delhi, India's Foreign Secretary Shiv Shankar Menon made the 
rounds in Washington, explaining India's position and the growing 
anger across the country after Pakistan's latest provocation. The 
paper reported that Menon was assured of full cooperation and 
support as India dealt with the consequences of the incident. 
 
-- "EMPTY RICE BOWL" 
 
¶12. THE MAIL TODAY was perhaps the only newspaper that expressed a 
lack of optimism about the visit, saying the Secretary came with 
platitudes and advised patience with Pakistan. Swimming against the 
tide of highly positive reporting, the paper said "the U.S. reaction 
to the terrorist carnage in Mumbai has been to unleash the 
conflict-prevention mechanisms by flooding the region with 
high-level visits." 
 
¶13. COMMENTARY: The Secretary's visit came at a time when India is 
looking for international endorsements against Pakistan, 
particularly from the US. While the Secretary's remarks in New Delhi 
were largely reiterations of previous messages from Washington, it 
was her flying down thousands of miles to stand with India in its 
hour of need that made all the difference. At the same time, it is 
evident from the media reporting that India is now looking for 
active U.S. support against Pakistan, rather than verbal assurances. 
Editorial commentary on the visit is expected in the coming days, 
but the upbeat reporting thus far reflects the grand public affairs 
 
NEW DELHI 00003064  003 OF 003 
 
 
success of this visit. 
MULFORD