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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 003113 
 
SIPDIS 
 
STATE FOR NP, AC, PM 
 
STATE FOR INR/MR 
 
STATE FOR SCA/INS, PM/CBM, PM/PRO 
 
STATE FOR SCA/PPD, PA/RRU 
 
STATEFOR 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 IN WAKE 
OF MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS; NEW DELHI-DECEMBER 10, 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 IN WAKE 
OF MUMBAI TERROR ATTACKS 
-------------------------------- 
 
¶1. "THE ACTION AGAINST LASHKAR-E-TOIBA," editorial in the 
December 9, 2008, Mumbai edition of left-of-center 
Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "Pakistani President 
Asif Ali Zardari who until recently maintained that 
Pakistan had no connection with the Mumbai terror 
attacks, has suddenly woken up to the need to take 
express action against terrorists who could have 
masterminded the Mumbai attacks. The arrest of Zaki-ur- 
Rehman-Lakhvi and eight other suspects in Pakistan- 
occupied Kashmir therefore denotes the mounting U.S. 
pressure on Pakistan to take action against terrorist 
operatives over there. In a way, Zardari has now admitted 
to Pakistani complicity in the attack. Of course this 
time mere arrests will not serve the purpose. He has to 
destroy the entire terrorist network... The silver lining 
to the entire episode is only the fact that international 
pressure is building up on Pakistan and other countries 
also perceive the Mumbai terror attacks as part of the 
global war against terrorism. U.S. Secretary of State 
Condoleezza Rice did not just visit Pakistan after the 
attack but she went to the extent of providing a list of 
Pakistani suspects (including the former ISI Chief) who 
should be detained. The U.S. knows that although there is 
strong evidence of Pakistani complicity in many terror 
attacks in India, it will not be advisable to take on the 
Pakistani army and intelligence machinery at this 
juncture. So it has wisely decided to pit the Pakistani 
establishment against the terrorists..." 
 
¶2. "INDIA VALIDATED," editorial in the December 10, 2008, 
Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT. 
"Pakistan's action against LeT commander and the house 
arrest of the Jaish-e-Mohammed chief are a result of the 
mounting international pressure on Pakistan. Not just the 
U.S. and India, but even European countries are now 
pressuring Pakistan to do what it needs to do, and to do 
what India has been asking it to do for many years. The 
Jaish head, who has now been captured, has always been a 
notorious figure. His nexus with Osama bin Laden is known 
to the world, but Pakistan government did not ever feel 
that need to take action against him in the past.... Going 
by the ongoing interrogation of the arrested terrorists 
in Mumbai, the role played by Pakistan-based terrorists 
in the Mumbai attacks is more than clear. India and the 
U.S. is also well aware of the connections between these 
Jehadi groups and the Pakistani intelligence ag%ncies. 
The need is therefore to retain the pressure on 
Pakistan..." 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00003113  002 OF 003 
 
 
¶3. "IMPORTANCE OF U.S. STAND," editorial in the December 
10 Guwahati Assamese left-of-center ASAMIYA PRATIDIN: "... 
It is important that India examines America's current 
stand carefully... particularly, at this critical juncture 
when George Bush is about to leave, and Obama to take the 
office. Bush's last minute efforts to transform failures 
into success and Obama's commitment to salvage the 
country from war and economic recession will determine 
U.S. position ... America wants to end the wars and 
eliminate Bin Laden's Al-Qaeda for all time.  So, it 
wants Pakistan's elected government to stop supporting 
the Taliban and the Al-Qaeda and join hands with the 
other U.S. ally, India to defeat them ... As a last weapon 
the U.S. may even issue a threat to declare Pakistan a 
'terrorist country' to achieve its goal ... Should the U.S. 
designate Pakistan as a terrorist country India must take 
the lesson to prepare its own strategies and policies, 
and take necessary action to implement them." 
 
¶4. "BOWING DOWN TO PRESSURE," editorial in the December 
10 left-of-center Kolkata Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN: 
"The way Pakistan acted even before the end of the 
American deadline makes it clear that Pakistan is not in 
a position now to ignore international opinion. It now 
needs to be watched what action Pakistan takes against 
Lakvi and Masood Azhar. Gone are days of protecting 
Pakistan under the wings of the White House. Indian 
diplomacy deserves commendation for cornering Pakistan to 
such an extent. Let us wait for some more time to see 
whether Pakistan ultimately yields to Indian pressure. 
For, Pakistan has to survive!" 
 
¶5. "TERRORIST AND PAKISTAN," editorial-page article in 
the December 9 independent Kolkata Bengali daily, 
ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA by ultra Leftist columnist Asim 
Chattopadhyay: "Now, Condoleezza Rice is arguing for us! 
The FBI has embarked on wielding its stick on our 
security mechanism. The political leaders who have 
brought our country to such a stage should note that the 
more their American courtship deepens, the more terrorist 
attacks will become inevitable in our country. The Mumbai 
massacre bears that distant thunder for us. No doubt, the 
terror attacks in Mumbai cannot be supported by any 
logic. However, the onus of it does not lie merely with 
terrorists or with Pakistan. The political power led by 
Sonia Gandhi and Manmohan Singh that has turned our 
country today into a replica of an American satellite 
will certainly have to answer to the masses. It is a 
matter of concern that other political parties are 
keeping mum on this. Especially, the Leftists' silence is 
quite surprising." 
 
¶6. "PRESSURE INCREASING ON PAKISTAN," editorial in the 
December 8 DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily: "The news that 
Pakistan has agreed to act against the Lashkar-e-Toiba 
within 48 hours is important. It is noteworthy that U.S. 
Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice has clearly said that 
the U.S. has irrefutable evidences against Pakistan-based 
LeT's involvement in the Mumbai terror attacks and if 
Pakistan does not crackdown on it, the U.S. could do it. 
The Indian and U.S. investigators found out that the 
 
NEW DELHI 00003113  003 OF 003 
 
 
Lashkar-e-Toiba leader Yusuf Mujammal played a main role 
in the Mumbai attacks. The Bush administration's attitude 
has been different towards the attacks on the U.S. and on 
other countries. This created suspicion against U.S. and 
its ally nations' commitment to the war against 
terrorism. The U.S. should not only force Pakistan to 
take immediate action against the perpetrators of the 
Mumbai-terror strikes shedding double standards against 
terrorism, but it should also understand India's pain and 
fully cooperate with it." 
 
---------------------- 
INDIA-RUSSIA RELATIONS 
---------------------- 
 
¶7. "WITH RUSSIA," editorial in the December 8 RASHTRIYA 
SAHARA Hindi daily: "Under the new India-Russia agreement 
four new nuclear energy reactors will be built in 
Kudankulam in South India. Russia also assured the life- 
time fuel-supply to them. This has started a new phase in 
the nuclear cooperation. After France and U.S., Russia is 
the third country to sign a nuclear pact with India, but 
it has become the first country to implement it. Let us 
see how far the nuclear cooperation with Russia goes in 
the new scenario because now India is not bound to stick 
to just one country. Russia will have to compete with 
other countries like the U.S. But, given the background 
the chances are bright. It is also strengthened by the 
ten more agreements in the defense, space exploration, 
tourism and the excavation sectors... Falling petroleum 
price has affected Russia's financial status. It has 
realized that technology and energy will be the basis of 
its economic strength and in the new world scenario and 
Asia's main power, India, will be its major buyer." 
MULFORD