VZCZCXRO9692
PP RUEHBI RUEHCI RUEHNEH
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P 271212Z APR 09
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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 03 NEW DELHI 000844 
 
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: SRI LANKA UNREST, 
PAKISTAN/TALIBAN, IRAQ; 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. 
 
---------------- 
SRI LANKA UNREST 
---------------- 
 
¶1. "CLASH IN SRI LANKA," editorial in the April 25 right- 
of-center Urdu daily SIASAT: "The UN should concentrate 
on restoring normalcy in Sri Lanka. It should also make 
all out efforts to stop the military action. The Lanka 
government and LTTE rebels should be brought to the table 
for talks. If the UN fails in accomplishing its duties 
and responsibilities, the very existence of this 
international forum will become meaningless." 
 
¶2. "LANKA EPISODE: TAMIL STRUGGLE HEADED FOR BLOODY END," 
editorial in April 25 centrist Gujarati daily DIVYA 
BHASKAR.  "The worse part of the Lanka imbroglio is that 
innocent Tamil civilians in Sri Lanka are caught in the 
fight between the Sri Lankan troops and the revolting 
LTTE cadres...  While India has preferred to maintain a 
low-key approach, the south Indian state of Tamil Nadu is 
witnessing a furor over the plight of its brethren in Sri 
Lanka.... India needs to emulate the Sri Lankan example in 
dealing with such problems back home, whether they be 
derived from ethnic issues, naxal menace, or terrorism." 
 
¶3. "SRI LANKAN TAMILS WOULD CONTINUE TO FIGHT FOR 
RIGHTS," opinion piece in April 25 centrist Marathi daily 
LOKMAT by Lt. General A.S. Kalkat: "The Sri Lankan 
government should seek a political solution to the Tamil 
conflict. Only achieving a victory over the LTTE forces 
is not enough. If the Tamil people in Sri lanka continue 
to feel that they have been denied equal rights then 
another person like LTTE leader Prabhakaran might rise 
from amidst the people. The priorities for India are 
clear: it should urge the LTTE to lay down arms, free the 
Tamil people and declare a ceasefire. India should also 
offer all help to Sri Lanka and initiate talks with the 
Lankan government." 
 
---------------- 
PAKISTAN/TALIBAN 
---------------- 
 
¶4. "TALIBAN IN PAKISTAN," op-ed article in April 26 
DAINIK JAGRAN Hindi daily by strategic specialist K. 
Subrahmanyam: "The world and especially India should 
seriously consider the possibility of Pakistan becoming a 
failed nation. That will have a grave effect on the 
international security system. The Talibanisation of 
Pakistan will result in a flood of refugees to many 
countries and it will affect India and Iran the most. The 
U.S. and the Western world is worried that if the 
Pakistan's nukes fall into terrorists' hands, the U.S., 
Western Europe and Israel will be their targets. 
Pakistan's political and military leaders feel that this 
concern is their trump card to blackmail U.S." 
 
NEW DELHI 00000844  002 OF 003 
 
 
 
¶5. "DANGER REMAINS IN PAK," editorial in April 25 DAINIK 
JAGRAN Hindi daily: "The international community, 
especially the U.S., should find out that what is going 
on between the Pakistan government and the terrorists. 
After the U.S. warning, President Zardari said his 
government would not allow a parallel rule in any part of 
the country, but it is meaningless because there is 
already a parallel Taliban rule... The international 
community should ask the army chief General Kiyani where 
was he when the Taliban was taking over Buner and 
Shangla. The Pakistani army handed over Swat valley to 
Taliban militants on a platter." 
 
¶6. "U.S. ASSESMENT," editorial in April 25 DAINIK 
HINDUSTAN Hindi daily: "The Obama Administration is 
adopting a fresh, new approach in foreign policy. It 
shows in Obama's engaging Cuba and other Latin American 
countries, and Secretary Clinton's accepting that the 
U.S. is also partly responsible for the present mess in 
Pakistan. The U.S. once cultivated the Taliban, but now 
the Taliban are stuck in America's throat like a thorn." 
 
¶7. "EXPANSION OF TALIBAN," editorial in the April 26 
right-of-center Urdu daily SIASAT: "The statement of the 
US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton that the government 
of Pakistan is helpless against terrorists is indicative 
of America's intentions. Before accomplishing its vested 
interests in any country, America creates such an 
environment in the target country, which provides the way 
for U.S. interventions. America wants to intervene in the 
internal affairs of Pakistan, on one ground or the other. 
Terrorism is a serious problem for the whole world. But 
hatching a conspiracy, deliberately, against Pakistan is 
somewhat more serious than terrorism itself." 
 
¶8. "TALIBAN'S GROWING CLOUT IN PAKISTAN SENDS SHIVERS 
DOWN THE SPINE OF AMERICA"  editorial in April 26 
centrist Gujarati daily GUJARATMITRA.  "Pakistan is no 
longer just the epicenter of global terrorism but it has 
also become a nation emitting terror waves inimical to 
world peace and security...  This has been corroborated by 
none other than U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 
who expressed serious concern over the rising control of 
the Taliban and Al Qaeda in Pakistan.  The possibility of 
Pakistan's nukes falling into the hands of the Taliban 
and Al Qaeda has rattled the American 
administration.... Both Clinton and Secretary of Defense 
Gates have warned Pakistan to take stringent measures to 
nip this threat in the bud...  This is an alarming 
situation for India because any development in Pakistan 
will have its impact here. If only we had the option of 
changing our neighbor!" 
 
¶9. "USELESS PAKISTAN GETS AID," editorial in April 27 
right-of-center Gujarati daily MUMBAI SAMACHAR. 
"Recently Pakistan received $5 billion massive aid during 
a Pakistan donors' conference in Tokyo.  This is nothing 
short of bribing a nation at the international level. 
Pakistan is rescued every time it gets an American dollar 
injection.  Despite Japan and American being fully aware 
 
NEW DELHI 00000844  003 OF 003 
 
 
that Pakistan is a nuclear weapons state, they continue 
to supply Pakistan such aid.  When India conducted 
nuclear tests in 1974, Japan imposed economic sanctions 
on India.  Why isn't the same yardstick applied to 
Pakistan?  Japanese and American taxpayers need to ask 
this question to their respective governments...  Pakistan 
has over the years hoodwinked America and other European 
nations and extracted maximum political advantage in the 
process." 
 
¶10. "IN THE GRIP OF TALIBAN," editorial in April 25 left- 
of-enter Marathi daily MAHARASHTRA TIMES. "After getting 
the Swat valley for a song, the Taliban's ambitions are 
on the rise.  They now plan to attack Islamabad... 
President Obama has summoned Afghanistan President Karzai 
and Pakistan Prime Minister Gilani to the United States. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has made Pakistan 
aware that the real danger to its sovereignty lies not 
from India but from the Taliban; accordingly, Pakistan 
should ensure the withdrawal of Taliban from Buner by 
taking military action. But now the Taliban has decided 
to withdraw from Buner. Whether the Taliban is really 
scared of the Pakistani administration or is this a 
tactical and a diplomatic withdrawal, only time will 
tell. " 
 
¶11. "SUBJECT OF GLOBAL CONCERN" editorial in the April 27 
centrist Marathi daily LOKMAT. "Pakistan currently has 85 
nuclear bombs and missiles to carry them. If tomorrow the 
Taliban gain control of these missiles then the concern 
of the resulting catastrophe is equally felt by Hillary 
Clinton as well as the rest of the world. The area where 
Pakistan developed these weapons is located near 
Waziristan and Swat. Although the government of Pakistan 
claims that they have brought these weapons near 
Islamabad, it cannot be trusted. First, because no 
country discloses the location of its nuclear weapons. 
And even if the weapons are near Islamabad, it is just 
three hours away from Buner, which is under the 
Taliban." 
 
---- 
IRAQ 
---- 
 
¶12. "WHEN WILL IRAQ TERROR STOP?" editorial in April 26 
right-of-center Urdu daily RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Though 
President Barack Obama has declared that American forces 
will leave Iraq by August next year, it seems that the 
dance of death and destruction will continue even after 
the withdrawal of American forces.... When the British left 
India, they divided Hindus and the Muslims. America too 
will create an acrimonious atmosphere in Iraq, which may 
result in the division of Iraq into three countries." 
BURLEIGH