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RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 000020 
 
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, MIDDLE 
EAST CRISIS; NEW DELHI. 
 
This countrywide cable reports on relevant media 
reaction/opinion from India's large non-English press. 
The Mission reports on English-language media via email 
through the daily "Early Edition" summary. 
 
------------------------ 
INDIA-PAKISTAN RELATIONS 
------------------------ 
 
¶1. "UNNECESSARY STEP," editorial in January 5 right-of- 
center DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily: "Home Minister P. 
Chidambaram's upcoming U.S. visit to share evidence of 
Pakistani links to the Mumbai attacks means the U.S. is 
not convinced of Pakistan's complicity in the Mumbai 
carnage. With an FBI team in Mumbai, the U.S. 
Administration should not have had any doubts. This visit 
gives the message that India depends on U.S. for fighting 
Pakistan-sponsored terrorism. This is not right. India 
should be prepared to fight its battle against terrorism 
on its own. It should understand that the U.S., U.K., 
Russia, China, Saudi Arabia, etc. have issued statements 
according to their concerns and their duty is over. Given 
Pakistan's tenacious and non-cooperative attitude India 
should reconsider stepping up pressure on it. The 
investigation should be completed at the earliest and all 
the evidence against Pakistan should be kept before the 
international community. India must not only intensify 
pressure on Pakistan, but also put it on the right 
track." 
 
¶2. "ENCOUNTER ON BORDER," editorial in January 5 centrist 
DAINIK BHASKAR Hindi daily: "The ongoing encounter 
between militants and security forces in the forest area 
of Mendhar in Poonch district is again creating a war- 
like situation in Kashmir. There is information that 
militants have built concrete bunkers in the Poonch 
district. It seems that our intelligence and security 
agencies have not learnt any lesson despite the Kargil 
war, and they were completely unaware of these 
preparations. The way militants are fighting it hints 
that the Pakistani army could be involved in the Mendhar 
gun battle just like the Kargil war. It is not the 
democratic government in Pakistan but the army which 
rules the country. It proved its supremacy by using anti- 
India elements present in the ISI, Islamic organizations 
and the bureaucracy. It is necessary to respond firmly to 
the forces which are trying to create instability and 
insecurity in the country. India should also rectify the 
flaws in its security system." 
 
¶3. "WHAT MORE EVIDENCE DO YOU WANT?" editorial in the 
January 6, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi daily 
SAKAAL.  "The international community is facing quite a 
challenge in dealing with Pakistan's current stance vis- 
`-vis action against Pakistan-based terror camps.  India 
has given Pakistan the most detailed evidence to prove 
that the militants who attacked Mumbai were terrorist 
elements from Pakistan. The evidence handed to the 
Pakistani High Commissioner includes material from the 
interrogation of the lone surviving gunman in Mumbai, 
details of conversations between the gunmen and their 
 
NEW DELHI 00000020  002 OF 004 
 
 
alleged handlers in Pakistan, recovered weapons, and data 
from satellite phones. After all the crucial material is 
placed on the negotiating table, Pakistan is still 
thinking and reviewing the evidence.  India is left with 
the wait-and-watch situation. Despite mounting tensions, 
India must continue to step up the pressure on 
Pakistan.." 
 
¶4. "PROOF...PROOF...PROOF"  editorial in the January 6, 
2009 multi-edition right-of-center Gujarati daily GUJARAT 
SAMACHAR.  "Even after one and a half months of horrific 
terror attacks on Mumbai, our leaders are busy gathering 
evidence.  They feel that handing over the evidence will 
ensure action by Pakistan against those who perpetrated 
this crime.  The bomb blasts in Assam indicate that 
terrorists are as active as ever and that our security 
agencies and government are in a state of hibernation. 
If this was not enough, the Indian security forces are 
fighting a prolonged battle against terrorists holed up 
in Jammu's Poonch sector.  While all this is going on, 
the Indian federal home minister is traveling all the way 
to America to hand over the proof on Mumbai terror 
attacks to the powers that be there!  It is time our 
leaders realized that raising the diplomatic ante on 
Pakistan is not going to yield desired results.  However, 
the people of India have understood that if there is one 
country that is trying to shield Pakistan, it is 
America.  America has yet to comprehend that the country 
that prospered on America's mercy has now slipped into 
the hands of terrorists.  While our government has been 
admonishing Pakistan every other day, its approach of 
running to America whenever it comes to decision-making 
is something people of India find it difficult to 
swallow." 
 
------------------ 
MIDDLE EAST CRISIS 
------------------ 
 
¶5. "ATTACK IN GAZA UNDER U.S. INSTIGATION," editorial in 
the January 6 CPI (M) Organ GANASHAKTI Bengali daily, 
Kolkata. "The U.S. has been patronizing Israel in its 
barbaric attack in Gaza and at the same time obstructing 
the UN from taking any effective measure to stop the 
offensive. It is now clear that Israel is gathering 
courage from America itself for pursuing such brutality. 
Besides condemning Israeli attacks, people should also 
strongly criticize the role of the U.S." 
 
¶6. "FEARS OF A NEW ARMS RACE", editorial in January 4, 
2009 Islamist Urdu daily "DAWAT", New Delhi: "Israel says 
that whatever it has done is actually for its own defense 
and the future shall see more such action. It has every 
right to do so, it says. The United States and its allies 
have also alleged that the present circumstances in 
Palestine result from the activities of Hamas. Had Hamas 
not conducted rocket attacks on Israel, the latter would 
not have been forced to retaliate. The present situation 
in Palestine, they say, results from lack of 
farsightedness & vision on the part of Hamas. Now, 
certain people have said it is actually the Israelis who 
 
NEW DELHI 00000020  003 OF 004 
 
 
are the sufferers. Indeed, a grotesque logic! They feel 
that the action taken by Israel has been out of utter 
helplessness. These people feel Israel is seen to be the 
aggressor, but in fact its reaction stems from an innate 
sense of trepidation." 
 
¶7. "WORLD'S SILENCE OVER ISRAEL'S TERRORISM", editorial 
in January 3, 2009 right-of-center Urdu daily "MUNSIF", 
Hyderabad: "Today, America claims it is fighting a war 
against terror. Today, however, Israel is on a massacre 
spree against innocent civilians at the behest of a 
certain government. America does not consider the 
atrocities carried out by Israel as part of terrorism. 
Worse yet, the missiles and weapons being used in the 
attacks carried out by Israel on the poor and innocent 
people of Palestine bear the mark of America. The 
terrorism being carried out by Israel does not fall in 
the definition of 'terrorism' for America. After all, 
what was the fault of the guileless children, women & 
other civilians of Palestine that they have been made 
bereft of even words of sympathy? They seem to have been 
left to the mercy of their aggressor, Israel. Has the 
civilized world decided to do away with all humanitarian 
values? Has our so-called civilized society begun to 
justify cold-blooded murders? Does the blood of the 
children of Palestine have no worth?" 
 
¶8. "ISRAEL CROSSES ALL LIMITS OF BARBARISM", editorial in 
January 5, 2009 right-of-center Urdu daily "SIASAT", 
Hyderabad: "The barbaric & atrocious military activities 
of Israel seem to have crossed all limits & thresholds. 
Over the last week, poor Palestinians have been killed in 
a spate of relentless and merciless bombings/aerial 
attacks, turning the entire Gaza region into a city of 
the dead. Now, it is the turn of Isreali ground forces 
and battle tanks to charge into the bombarded region and 
cleanse it ethnically. The lives of thousands of poor 
Palestinians have been taken in the name of causing harm 
to Hamas. Mosques too have not been spared. Dozens of 
mosques have been razed to the ground in a spate of 
aerial bombardments, while the world has witnessed the 
events unfold as a mute spectator. The Arab countries 
have also been delivering just lip-service, without 
insisting that Israel -- or for that matter, America -- 
curb the attacks on the innocent civilians of Palestine 
at once." 
 
¶9. "WORLD LEADERS SHOULD EMPHASIZE ON PEACE", editorial 
in January 4, 2009 issue of right - of - centre Urdu 
daily "SIASAT", Hyderabad: "There have been widespread 
protests across the world over the tyranny and barbarism 
unleashed by the Israeli forces on poor, hapless 
Palestinians. As in other cities of India, tens of 
thousands of Muslims in Hyderabad have also condemned in 
the strongest ways the dastardly attacks being carried 
out by Israel on the people of Palestine. Community 
prayers are being made in mosques regularly. Thousands of 
innocent, helpless Palestinians are falling prey to the 
carpet bombings being carried out by Israel, the 
aggressor. However, no power in the world has even dared 
to stem the savagery unleashed by the Israelis. Even the 
 
NEW DELHI 00000020  004 OF 004 
 
 
leaders of the Muslim world have maintained a strange 
silence. All the aggression being carried out by Israel 
is before the leaders of the civilized world, who claim 
to stand by civil rights & libertarian values. The 
Israeli attacks have now graduated from aerial to 
terrestrial. Today, not only the Palestinians, but the 
entire Islamic world is being threatened by the Jewish 
missiles." 
MULFORD