VZCZCXRO0384
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #0670/01 0961227
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 061227Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6043
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1652
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 4512
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3728
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0423
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2050
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5931
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2494
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9410
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 3554
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6165
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7811
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000670 
 
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: U.S. FOREIGN POLICY, TERRORISM, 
G-20, NORTH KOREA; NEW DELHI - APRIL 4-6, 2008. 
 
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. 
 
------------------- 
U.S. FOREIGN POLICY 
------------------- 
 
¶1. "OBAMA'S PAKISTAN POLICY" op-ed in April 5 DAINIK 
JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic affairs specialist K. 
Subrahmanyam: "Now Pakistan will obtain U.S. aid only if 
it delivers against the Taliban. America is isolating 
Pakistan, putting together a 'contact group' and getting 
Muslim countries like Iran and Saudi Arabia on its side. 
If Pakistan does not accept Obama's strategy, it will be 
ruined economically. There is an urgent need for complete 
democratization of the government and the people of 
Pakistan. The army and the intelligence service should be 
under strict government control." 
 
¶2. "STATEMENT BY AMERICAN PRESIDENT", editorial in April 
1 Islamist Urdu bi-weekly DAWAT: "President Obama 
released a new strategic policy on Afghanistan and 
Pakistan while the Shanghai Cooperation Organization 
(SCO) summit was underway in Moscow. The Afghanistan- 
Pakistan situation has deep implications for Russia, West 
Asia and India, as well as Iran. An international 
conference is being organized by the UN in The Hague 
soon, and President Obama is likely to participate. 
That's because Afghanistan and Pakistan occupy center 
stage in world affairs today. Perhaps that is why Russia 
is keen on emphasizing that the issue of Afghanistan 
cannot be resolved by military means alone, and that the 
U.S. should explore other alternatives. It appears that 
the American president has taken these suggestions into 
account." 
 
¶3. "UNNECESSARY ADVICE" editorial in April 3 DAINIK 
JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The U.S. attitude on Pakistan-based 
terrorism is not favorable to India. Does President 
Obama's advice for an effective dialogue process between 
India and Pakistan make any sense when Pakistan is making 
excuses to avoid taking action against those elements 
which have become a serious threat to India? India should 
stand firm against this U.S. advice. It cannot be 
overlooked that the Obama administration's policy on 
terrorism in Pakistan is no different from that of the 
Bush administration. The U.S. believes that terrorism can 
be easily eradicated in Pakistan by giving it economic 
aid. The Pakistan government's one-point program is to 
covertly support terrorist organizations, but the U.S. is 
turning a blind eye to this fact." 
 
--------- 
TERRORISM 
--------- 
 
¶4. "NOW BAITULLAH'S TERROR FOCUS IS INDIA" editorial in 
the April 6 Gujarati daily DIVYA BHASKAR.  "The monster 
of terrorism, nurtured by Pakistan over the years, is now 
 
NEW DELHI 00000670  002 OF 003 
 
 
haunting its creator.  The Taliban is rapidly advancing 
in Pakistan. Bin Laden's absence is filled by 
fundamentalist local leader Baitullah Mehsud, who 
is spewing the venom of terrorism.  He has even 
threatened the U.S.  However, with reports that Taliban 
terrorists have entered the Indian part of Kashmir, the 
threat from this dreaded fugitive appears even more 
serious.  India needs to take corrective measures on a 
war footing, putting all other issues aside for the time 
being..." 
 
---- 
G-20 
---- 
 
¶5. "MESSAGE OF G-20" editorial in April 3 NAVBHARAT TIMES 
Hindi daily: "The G-20 summit, leaving all disputes 
behind, made some decisions which could prevent the 
present economic slowdown from turning into a great 
depression. Leaders made the IMF stronger by tripling its 
war chest from 250 to 750 billion dollars. The summit 
also set a target to more than double the IMF's lending 
to poor countries. Unprecedented steps, like a decisive 
role for emerging powerhouses like China, India and 
Brazil in the management of the IMF, World Bank and other 
international financial institutions, can certainly bring 
revolutionary changes. It is also a historical initiative 
because the IMF and the World Bank have been 
traditionally controlled by the U.S. and Europe until 
now. The good news for Indians is that all the black 
money hubs, including Swiss banks, will either have to 
stop those activities soon or make them transparent. Is 
the G-20 London summit the beginning of the end of 
recession? Let us hope so!" 
 
¶6. "NEW MILESTONE," editorial in April 06, Bangalore- 
based left-of-center Kannada daily PRAJAVANI: "The real 
success of the G-20 summit is that the heads of states of 
the G-20 countries came together and unanimously agreed 
to address the global economic meltdown. The mixed 
outcome of the summit was much expected, as key players 
like France, Germany, the U.S. and the U.K. have strong 
disagreements among them on several issues. Hence the 
London summit could be viewed as part of an ongoing 
effort to resolve the crisis. This process should 
continue." 
 
¶7. "TOWARDS RESOLVING ECONOMIC SLOWDOWN: WILL G-20 SUMMIT 
GIVE A POSITIVE SPIN?" editorial in April 06, Bangalore- 
based independent Kannada daily VIJAY KARNATAKA: "Meeting 
US president Obama on the sidelines of the G-20 summit, 
Prime Minister Singh touched upon the issue of terror 
emanating from Pakistan. However, President Obama's 
reaction is not very helpful to improve already strained 
India-Pakistan relations. Obama should understand that 
terror originating from Pakistan soil is the main concern 
for India. Extending a hand of friendship to India will 
be meaningless if he can not visualize these basic 
issues." 
 
----------- 
 
NEW DELHI 00000670  003 OF 003 
 
 
NORTH KOREA 
----------- 
 
¶8. "INTERNATIONAL DRAMA," editorial in April 06, Chennai- 
based pro-DMK Tamil daily, DINAKARAN: "Despite resistance 
from several countries, North Korea test-fired a rocket. 
This technology can be used for deploying both satellites 
and missiles. North Korea's greatest supporter, China, 
will use its veto power if the Security Council attempts 
to impose economic sanctions on North Korea. With China's 
support, both Pakistan and North Korea are escaping from 
international sanctions. The Big nations are doing their 
best to counter North Korea's aggression, while other 
countries are watching this international drama as mute 
spectators." 
 
¶9. "TRICKY SITUATION FOR AMERICA," editorial in April 6 
left-of-center Marathi daily LOKSATTA. "U.S. foreign 
policy has been consistently unreasonable. Of late, North 
Korea has been creating a scare for the U.S. American 
intelligence says North Korea's latest missile test is 
intended as a threat to countries 'near and far'. Very 
often, U.S. intelligence varies according to vested 
interests. At one point, the Bush Administration had 
declared North Korea a threat to global security. But in 
February 2008, it entered into a treaty with North Korea. 
Today, Obama again finds North Korea a security threat. 
U.S. policy is selectively alert to these security 
threats. No wonder the U.S. is exceptionally tolerant 
toward Pakistan." 
BURLEIGH