VZCZCXRO3472
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #0698/01 0991102
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 091102Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6085
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1662
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 4530
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3744
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0436
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2061
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5941
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2504
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9420
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 3570
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6183
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7831
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 NEW DELHI 000698 
 
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: SPECIAL MEDIA REPORT: INDIAN MEDIA COVERAGE OF 
POTUS REMARKS IN TURKEY (Continued) 
 
SUMMARY: Two leading Indian Urdu dailies cautiously 
welcomed President Obama's message of goodwill in his 
April 6, 2009, address to the Turkish Parliament. While 
they welcomed the President's remarks, both papers in 
April 8 editorials said that the true sign of his 
sincerity would be a complete U.S. withdrawal from Iraq 
and Afghanistan. END SUMMARY. 
 
-- COMMENTARY IN THE URDU PRESS 
 
¶1. "BARACK OBAMA AND ISLAM" editorial in April 8 right- 
of-center Urdu daily SIASAT: "President Barack Obama's 
significant remarks at the Turkish parliament indicate 
that he does not intend to repeat the follies of his 
predecessor George W. Bush, but rather establish a 
broader engagement with the Muslim world. Obama's speech 
goes a long way in inspiring trust among the Muslims of 
the world. But Mr. Obama will ultimately be judged by his 
actions. If he is truly sincere and does not want war 
with Islam, as a first step, he should withdraw forces 
from Iraq and Afghanistan and announce the entry of 
Turkey into the European Union." 
 
¶2. "PRESIDENT OBAMA NEEDS TO BE PRACTICAL," editorial in 
April 8 right-of-center Urdu daily MUNSIF: "President 
Obama's willingness to build cordial relations with the 
Islamic world comes as a breath of tranquility, after a 
long period of storms. But Obama needs to walk his talk. 
First of all he should support Turkey which is not being 
included in the European Union only because of its 
Islamic identity.  Secondly, President Obama should also 
end the U.S. occupation of Iraq and Afghanistan and stop 
aerial attacks on Pakistan which are causing the deaths 
of innocent people. Above all, he should stop America's 
blind support of Israel and make sincere efforts to 
establish an independent state for the Palestinian 
people. Only then can the United States convince the 
Islamic world that it is a friend." 
 
-- "OBAMA MEETS RELIGIOUS LEADERS IN EFFORT TO UNITE 
MODERATES OF MAJOR FAITHS AGAINST EXTREMISM" - URDU 
NEWSPAPERS 
 
¶3. Other leading Urdu newspapers continued to highlight 
the President's engagements on his second and last day in 
Turkey. ETEMAAD, a leading Urdu newspaper published in 
Hyderabad, reported that as part of an effort to unite 
moderates of major faiths against extremism, President 
Obama met religious leaders in Istanbul. He also 
reportedly toured Turkey's most important mosque, the 
Blue Mosque, and other places of historic importance 
accompanied by the Turkish PM. 
 
¶4. Urdu daily MUNSIF, in addition to the editorial cited 
in para 2 also highlighted that President Obama's message 
of peace was welcomed in the entire Arab world. Media as 
well as leaders of Egypt, Libya, Kuwait and Saudi Arabia 
were highly appreciative of President's willingness to 
rebuild the lost trust of the Muslim world in the United 
States. 
 
 
NEW DELHI 00000698  002 OF 002 
 
 
¶5. SIASAT, India's most influential Urdu newspaper, also 
highlighted the President's "respectful" tour of the Blue 
Mosque and the Hagia Sofia. The paper said President 
Obama finished his trip with an appeal to Turkish youth 
that "you can choose to make new bridges instead of new 
walls" and "the world will be what you make of it" 
 
¶6. Two leading Urdu dailies published in Eastern India, 
AKHBAR-E-MASHRIQ and AZAD HIND, carried similar wire 
service stories and photos showing President Obama inside 
a mosque. 
BURLEIGH