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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 05 NEW DELHI 003084 
 
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: INDIA-PAKISTAN 
RELATIONS/TERRORISM, SECRETARY RICE VISIT TO INDIA AND 
PAKISTAN; NEW DELHI-DECEMBER 6-8, 2008. 
 
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." 
 
---------------------------------- 
INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS/TERRORISM 
---------------------------------- 
 
¶1. "PAKISTAN'S HYPOCRISY," editorial in the December 7 
right-of-center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Pakistani 
President Asif Ali Zardari's asking for concrete evidence 
of Pakistani involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks is 
nothing but a ploy to distract India. Pakistan always 
declares the evidences to be insufficient. This time, 
along with Pakistan, the international community should 
also be provided evidence, especially those nations whose 
citizens have been killed in the attacks. India should 
show them how Pakistan is an expert in shirking its 
responsibility and finding excuses... The Indian leadership 
should ensure that no talks are resumed with Pakistan 
without resolving the issue of terrorism across the 
border. Actually, making excuses and betraying has become 
Pakistan's national character. So, an unprecedented 
diplomatic activeness is necessary for exposing this 
character of Pakistan at international level. Pakistan 
needs to realize that India is firm and is in no mood at 
all to let it go this time." 
 
¶2. "POSITIVE SIGNS," editorial in the December 6 centrist 
NAVBHARAT TIMES Hindi daily: "Imams in India have urged 
Muslims across the country to observe a black Eid, and to 
condemn the Mumbai terror attacks in their Friday 
prayers. Muslims have expressed their solidarity with the 
affected people. Some prominent religious Muslim leaders 
have demanded a strong action against Pakistan. These 
attempts should be welcomed. It is noteworthy that the 
Mumbai Muslim Council has refused to bury the bodies of 
the terrorists. Obviously, the Indian Muslims are really 
angry. They have openly come up this time and want to 
show that they are united with the nation in this 
critical time. The most influential Urdu papers have 
appealed to the Muslims to realize their responsibility 
and fight terrorism. It is a symbol of a major change in 
the psyche of India's Muslim community. It is also a 
message for the terrorists, who believe that can gain 
Indian Muslims' sympathy in the name of Islam." 
 
¶3. "ISI'S INVOLVEMENT," editorial in the December 6 
nationalist RASHTRIYA SAHARA Hindi daily: "The evidence 
of Pakistan intelligence agency ISI's links to the 
terrorist attacks in Mumbai is not surprising. It is said 
that the U.S. has more proof of this than Pakistan. The 
Chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs of Staff Admiral 
Michael Mullen had already visited Pakistan when the 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice reached there after 
her India-visit. Both told the Pakistan government about 
ISI's involvement in the Mumbai attacks. The ISI is under 
 
NEW DELHI 00003084  002 OF 005 
 
 
the Army's control. So, it has a really dangerous 
meaning. If there were no evidences Rice would have not 
warned Pakistan to act urgently against terror. The 
present Pakistan regime has some diehard anti-India 
elements. The Mumbai attacks also mean that Zardari and 
Prime Minister Yusuf Raza Gilani do not have the complete 
control of the country. India has a challenge to deal 
with a nation in such a dangerous condition." 
 
¶4. "AMERICA IS CREATING ENEMIES"  editorial in the 
December 6, 2008 Mumbai-based right-of-center Gujarati 
daily MUMBAI SAMACHAR.  "Secretary of State Condoleezza 
Rice's softening her tone [vis-`-vis Pakistan taking 
tough measures against the perpetrators of the Mumbai 
terror attacks] in Islamabad indicates many things.  One 
America should know that acts terrorism is not India 
specific.  This has become a global menace and requires 
global action....  However, America's own track record on 
terrorism front is terribly bad.  It was America that 
created the Taliban.  It was America that emboldened 
former Iraqi despot Saddam Hussein against Iran.  Isn't 
it ironic that this is the same nation which is now 
fighting tooth and nail against its creators.  The U.S. 
should remember that any future attack on America will 
emanate from Pakistan.  When India and America are 
world's two great democracies, it is depressing to learn 
that America has given a frugal response to the Mumbai 
terror attacks....  Terrorism has no boundaries.  Today is 
India.  Who knows it might someone else in the future. 
America is just creating enemies for itself.  It is time 
to call a spade a spade." 
 
¶5. "LET PAKISTAN INSTIGATE BUT INDIA WILL NEVER ENTER 
INTO WAR WITH PAKISTAN" editorial in the December 6, 2008 
multi-edition centrist Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA. 
"Despite mounting Indian public opinion, it is not likely 
that India will declare war against Pakistan.  As history 
suggests, India has been a mute victim of state-sponsored 
terrorism that has claimed hundreds of thousands of its 
innocent civilians.  However, the 26/11 terror attacks on 
Mumbai have transgressed all limits of patience that 
India has maintained over the years.  This is a macabre 
incident aimed as instigating India to attack Pakistan. 
While India won't take such a drastic measure, it 
certainly needs to convey a strong message to the 
perpetrators.  India can at least bark at the enemy if 
not bite!" 
 
¶6. "PAKISTAN'S DESPERATENESS" editorial in the December 
8, 2008 multi-edition centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA 
BHASKAR.  "Pakistan may have rubbished the news of Indo- 
American 48-hour deadline to  act against Lashkar-e-Taiba 
chief Lakhvi and ISI chief Hamid Gul but the one thing it 
cannot deny is that it is under immense pressure from 
international quarters to show results (against 
terrorists on it soil).  Pakistan was never under such 
pressure from the international community as it is 
experiencing now.  Even U.S. President-elect Barack Obama 
has stated that all sovereign nations have right to self 
defense giving a tacit message to Pakistan that if it 
 
NEW DELHI 00003084  003 OF 005 
 
 
does not act then India will.  Senator John McCain has 
supplemented Obama's statement by saying that Pakistan 
has to prove in deed and not just in words its commitment 
to act against terrorists.  So is the case with European 
Union which has also issued a stern message to 
Pakistan....  Under such circumstances, India needs to up 
its diplomatic ante with international support against 
Pakistan and compel it to act against 'non-state' actors 
in Pakistan who are responsible for fomenting trouble in 
India....  India needs to be pro-active in its diplomacy to 
garner world opinion against Pakistan that is desperately 
trying to wash its hands off over this episode." 
 
¶7. "ANTI-INDIA FORCES SHOULD BE SUPPRESSED" editorial in 
the December 8 Guwahati Assamese independent ASAMIYA 
KHABOR.  "...India should move cautiously because the 
enemies within the country are more dangerous than those 
from the outside... It is difficult to identify these 
internal adversaries... However, the government should 
overcome its weaknesses and take stringent measures to 
crush these 
anti-India forces, both external and internal.  For the 
government, time has come to rise over narrow politics 
and act responsibly so that the criminals do not go 
unpunished." 
 
¶8. "AFTER TERROR," editorial in the December 7 
nationalist Kolkata Bengali daily ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. 
"...All the powerful western nations are unanimous against 
terrorism and they cooperate with each other.  This 
alliance at the national level is helpful in fighting 
terrorism.  In South Asia too, an ambience of cooperation 
should be created among countries for the war on terror. 
A distance prevails as such among different ethnic groups 
in the Indian sub-continent for various reasons. 
Terrorism, because of this trend of not knowing each 
other, makes one suspicious against the other.  This is 
more or less true about all the countries in the Indian 
sub-continent.  It is, therefore, essential to extend 
one's helping hand, instead of harboring distrust, so 
that the security of individual nations can be 
protected.  The western world, while leaving the past 
behind it, lays greater emphasis on the need of the 
present.  The example of cooperation and development for 
its citizens that the western world has set after 
forgetting the differences of the past must have to be 
imitated in the east.  What is desirable in this sub- 
continent is not a mere comparison of the extent of 
terror between 9/11 and 26/11 but the attitude of 
unflinching cooperation in curbing state terrorism post 
9/11 that has been exhibited by the western world." 
 
¶9. "WAR TO BE FOUGHT AGAINST TERRORISM, NOT BETWEEN TWO 
COUNTRIES" edit-page article in the December 6 Kolkata 
Bengali left-of-center SAMBAD PRATIDIN by Executive 
Editor Anjan Basu.  "...There seems to be a considerable 
shift in U.S. stand vis-`-vis the sub-continent's 
politics.  The White House, which always favored 
Pakistan, is now busy to improve its ties with India... The 
U.S. is visibly annoyed with Pakistan's...duplicity and 
 
NEW DELHI 00003084  004 OF 005 
 
 
failure as far as terrorism is concerned... During her trip 
to India and Pakistan just after the Mumbai attacks, 
Condoleezza Rice made America's strong stand on terrorism 
very clear... The U.S. has now realized its failure to 
finish the al Qaida despite destroying Afghanistan... The 
U.S., the originator of terrorism, and its longstanding 
partner Pakistan, currently face the same predicament." 
 
¶10. "THE RESPONSIBILITY OF PAKISTAN," editorial in the 
December 6 nationalist Kolkata Bengali daily ANANDABAZAR 
PATRIKA.   "...The stiffness that was evident in the body 
language of Rice in Delhi was found to be flexible in her 
meetings in Islamabad.  That is the general tendency. 
The way Pakistan is viewed in the context of India is 
changed when the distance grows a little away from 
India.  This is American diplomacy and this diplomacy is 
responsible for Pakistan's natural sluggishness...  A basic 
issue needs to be cleared before both India and the U.S. 
No matter what is Pakistan's role especially in the 
Mumbai episode, Pakistan will have to take a role worth 
mentioning in curbing terrorism, and there is no 
alternative to it...  If the chemistry of relations in the 
subcontinent is not conducive, then America will have to 
act as the mediator and that is America's, especially of 
Rice's successor's, main responsibility." 
 
¶11. "PAKISTAN'S NEWS TRICKS" editorial in the December 8, 
2008, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT. 
"Pakistan has bared its characteristic dishonesty and 
treachery in two recent instances which also speak of the 
country's political culture. It is claimed by Pakistani 
President Zardari that he received a phone call from 
Indian Foreign Minister Pranab Mukherjee in which the 
latter accused Pakistan of the terror attack in Mumbai 
and threatened of dire consequences. The Indian 
government denied placing a call to Pakistan's President 
at the height of the Mumbai siege. But the `call theory' 
points towards another possibility - Pakistan's attempt 
to divert attention from the fact the attack came from 
Pakistan. Similarly, Pakistan initially claimed that 
India and the US have set a 48-hour deadline for Pakistan 
to take action against LeT. In a report of the Washington 
Post, a high-ranking Pakistani official said Rice, in her 
recent visit,  had insisted on the arrest of at least 
three Pakistanis allegedly linked to the assaults..." 
 
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SECRETARY RICE VISIT TO INDIA AND PAKISTAN 
------------------------------------------ 
 
¶12. "A HOPE-GIVING VISIT" editorial in the December 8, 
2008, Mumbai edition of left-of-center Marathi daily 
MAHARASHTRA TIMES.  "The U.S. has always tried to 
normalize bilateral relations between India and Pakistan, 
and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice's latest visit to 
both the countries is also one more step in this 
direction. At least from what appears from her 
statements, Rice seems convinced of Pakistan's 
involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks. Even when she 
met Pakistani authorities, she advised them to take 
 
NEW DELHI 00003084  005 OF 005 
 
 
direct action against Lashkar-e-toiba operatives who are 
said to be behind the blasts in Mumbai... The truth is that 
the U.S. knows for sure that terrorist outfits in 
Pakistan, aided by Pakistani military and ISI, are 
wreaking havoc all over the world. But the U.S. also 
knows that any action against these terrorists needs 
active assistance from Pakistani military. Therefore, the 
U.S. is just playing it safe with Pakistan and this 
policy has paid in the past, especially during General 
Musharraf's tenure...." 
MULFORD