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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000260 
 
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: OBAMA PRESIDENCY, PAKISTAN, 
ISRAEL-PALESTINE; 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. 
 
---------------- 
OBAMA PRESIDENCY 
---------------- 
 
¶1. "GREAT EXPECTATIONS FROM OBAMA," op-ed in the February 
10 DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by right-wing economist 
Bharat Jhunjhunwala: "Gandhi's photo hangs in Obama's 
office. He says India and the U.S. are natural partners. 
This talk is fine, but kind of superficial. Obama's 
mission is to salvage the economy. That is both good and 
bad for India. He has promised improvement of U.S. 
infrastructure, which could bode well for Indian 
engineers and material suppliers. On the other hand, he 
could tighten America's purse-strings, which is not good 
news for India, just as suppliers are hit when a new 
management takes over a failed company. The US financial 
sector has slipped into a major crisis. Obama wants to 
solve this problem by embracing protectionism. Higher 
import duties will be imposed on import of goods and 
services from China and India. Obama can either augment 
trade ties with India, or strategic ties with Pakistan. 
It is likely his thrust will be on the latter, because of 
Pakistan's strategic importance in the war against terror 
in Afghanistan." 
 
-------- 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶2. "DANGEROUS SCIENTIST OUT FREE" op-ed by Lata Raje in 
the February 11, 2009, Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi 
daily Lokmat. "In terms of difficult challenges facing 
President Obama, the economic crisis ranks first followed 
by Pakistan... the Lahore High Court has freed A.Q. Khan 
and this has become a cause of worry for the United 
States. But in the not so distant past it was this same 
U.S. which sided with A.Q. Khan and ensured his safety. 
Before becoming the 'Father of the Pakistan Bomb' Mr. 
Khan used to work out of Holland in a laboratory. The 
Dutch authorities arrested him when evidence that he was 
trying to smuggle nuclear technology arose.  But before 
this matter was able to be brought before the courts, the 
U.S., through the CIA, pressured the Dutch government and 
ensured Khan's safe release. America's ever partisan 
attitude towards Pakistan has ensured the constant 
protection of this treacherous person. If the U.S. were 
to halt aid to Pakistan, many questions could be resolved 
but the U.S. aid continues unabated." 
 
---------------- 
ISRAEL-PALESTINE 
---------------- 
 
¶3. "CHALLENGE OF WEST ASIA" op-ed by A.K. Trikha, the 
former head of the National Defence Academy, in the 
February 11, 2009 Mumbai edition of centrist Marathi 
 
NEW DELHI 00000260  002 OF 002 
 
 
Daily Sakaal. "While facing grave economic problems, 
international affairs are of equal concern to President 
Obama. Western Asia and Afghanistan-Pakistan are two 
important regions for Pakistan. They are also the regions 
where the war on terror is being fought. So Obama has 
chosen George Mitchell and Richard Holbrooke as special 
envoys. As far as the Israel-Palestine conflict goes, 
only the U.S. is capable of being a mediator. These two 
constantly warring neighbors can be brought to the 
negotiating table only by the United States.  But for 
that, the U.S. needs to focus its complete attention on 
the problem, eliminating favoritism with the goal of 
seeking a neutral solution.  Washington has a very strong 
Jewish lobby. The majority of the American population is 
with Israel. This really impacts the country's policy 
towards Israel. Despite that, President Clinton tried his 
best to bring some sort of summit between Benjamin 
Netanyahu and Yasir Arafat. But after President Bush came 
to power, all those efforts came to a grinding halt." 
 
¶4. "VICTORY OF HAMAS", editorial in the February 10 
right-of-center Urdu daily URDU TIMES, Mumbai: "Israel 
and Hamas have agreed to a conditional cease fire in 
Gaza. These conditions indicate that Hamas did not talk 
humbly or under pressure. On Sunday, the 8th February, 
Raphael Eitan, Israeli Minister for prisons announced in 
Tel Aviv that Israel is ready to release one thousand 
four hundred Palestinian prisoners in exchange for 
Israeli soldier Gelad Shalt. Moreover, if Hamas stops 
rocket attacks on Israel, the latter may, in turn, stop 
military actions in Gaza. It will ease the blockade of 
Gaza to some extent. Israel's aforesaid statement shows 
clearly that Hamas has an edge over Israel. It has 
defeated Israel during the 23-day war between Hamas and 
Israel." 
MULFORD