VZCZCXRO5908
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
DE RUEHNE #0792 1121125
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 221125Z APR 09
FM AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6273
INFO RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC
RHEHNSC/NSC WASHDC
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC
RHHJJPI/PACOM IDHS HONOLULU HI
RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHDC
RUEHLM/AMEMBASSY COLOMBO 1700
RUEHCG/AMCONSUL CHENNAI 4606
RUEHCI/AMCONSUL KOLKATA 3820
RUEHNEH/AMCONSUL HYDERABAD 0494
RUEHKA/AMEMBASSY DHAKA 2095
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD 5984
RUEHKT/AMEMBASSY KATHMANDU 2544
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI 9450
RUEHBI/AMCONSUL MUMBAI 3645
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 6258
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 7907
RHOVVKG/COMSEVENTHFLT
RHMFISS/HQ USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL

UNCLAS NEW DELHI 000792 
 
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: PAKISTAN, CUBA; 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. 
 
-------- 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶1. "AMERICA'S AF-PAK POLICY DANGEROUS," op-ed article by 
foreign affairs columnist Lata Raje in April 22 centrist 
Marathi daily LOKMAT: "The U.S. is finding it difficult 
to contain the Taliban in Pakistan. Afghanistan claims 
that unless the terrorist hideouts on the Pakistani 
borders are destroyed, the chaos will continue. These 
hideouts can be destroyed only when the terrorist outfits 
are starved of funds. Herein lies the problem. The U.S. 
is not ready to recognize the fact that funds given to 
the Pakistani government are being diverted to the wrong 
hands. The new Af-Pak policy has retained the clause that 
allows U.S. military and financial aid to Pakistan. Even 
though Pakistan has for years utilized the U.S. aid to 
destabilize its neighbors (including India and 
Afghanistan), the U.S. does not feel the need to make 
changes to its Pakistan policy." 
 
¶2. "NO ONE CAN SAVE PAKISTAN"  op-ed article by political 
analyst Vidyut Thakar in the April 22 centrist Gujarati 
daily DIVYA BHASKAR.  "At a conference last week in 
Tokyo, America, Japan, Saudi Arabia and the European 
Union decided to give a massive $5 billion grant to 
Pakistan to fight fundamentalism on its home turf... but 
the question is whether Pakistan's political leadership 
possesses the will to take the bull by the 
horns. Incidents over the last three years suggest that 
Pakistan is in such a quandary that even its otherwise 
active army feels helpless to guarantee peace and 
order. Even the U.S. can't ensure that giving Pakistan 
such enormous aid will liberate it from the growing clout 
of the Taliban." 
 
---- 
CUBA 
---- 
 
¶3. "THE OBAMA POLICY," editorial in April 22 independent 
Bengali ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA. "It is too early to say how 
capable Barack Obama is, but that he is bold is already 
evident from his changed policy towards Cuba.  Obama has 
brought about a major shift in U.S. policy on Cuba by 
lifting nearly half-century old trade and economic 
sanctions on Cuba.  In addition, Chavez's friendly 
overtures to Obama during the Pan-American Summit 
indicate possible changes in America's relations with 
Venezuela. This could be a welcome beginning, but more 
strong steps are already expected of a President who 
takes such bold policy decisions even before completing 
his first hundred days in office." 
BURLEIGH