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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 001272 
 
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: INDO-PAK RELATIONS, PALESTINE, 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IRAN, PAKISTAN, 2009 
TRAFFICKING REPORT; 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. 
 
------------------ 
INDO-PAK RELATIONS 
------------------ 
 
¶1. "CLEAR WARNING," editorial in June 17 right-of- 
center Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "PM Manmohan Singh 
clearly and publicly told President Zardari in 
Yekaterinburg that Pakistan's territory should not be 
used for terrorist attacks against India. Such a firm 
attitude is absolutely right when dealing with an 
untrustworthy country like Pakistan. This firmness on 
the part of the PM should be continued because it is 
the only language Pakistan understands. The PM's 
firmness also shows that the decision of resuming talks 
was not taken under U.S. pressure. Now the U.S. should 
understand that India is not ready for its interests to 
be overlooked. If the Indian leadership had adopted 
such firm stand towards Pakistan in the past, today the 
situation would have been absolutely different. It was 
necessary to clarify that the talks with Pakistan in 
the future would only be on terrorism. This decision is 
a sign of a fundamental change in Indian diplomacy.... 
But Pakistan will not shed its anti-India attitude 
easily. The time has come for India to stop being 
defensive; If somebody has to be defensive, it should 
be Pakistan." 
 
¶2. "PRESSURE FOR TALKS," op-ed article in June 17 
right-of-center Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "The foreign 
Secretaries of India and Pakistan may have agreed for 
talks during Manmohan-Zardari meeting in Russia, but 
India says that this is not a resumption of the 
dialogue process. There is pressure on India to resume 
talks with Pakistan. The U.S. wants that the tensions 
resulting from post-Mumbai terror attacks should come 
down, for which talks need to be reinitiated. But how 
is it possible when on the one hand Pakistan releases 
terrorists like Sayeed, and on the other it wants talks 
with India? Instead of putting pressure on India, the 
U.S. needs to understand that the ground reality in 
South Asia has not changed. There may be claims of 
change in Pakistan's attitude in the context of 
Taliban, but there is no change in the Pakistani 
system's strategic policy and the long-term perspective 
on India.... For once, India's diplomatic and political 
pressure against Pakistan is working." 
 
¶3. "PEACE PROCESS DRAMA:  INDIA TRAPPED AGAIN IN 
PAKISTANI PLOT!"  editorial in June 18 centrist 
Gujarati daily, GUJARATMITRA:  "The meeting between 
Indian Prime Minister Singh and Pakistani President 
Zardari is a diplomatic success of sorts for Pakistan. 
After the 11/26 Mumbai attacks, India had maintained a 
'no-dialogue' policy until Pakistan dismantled all the 
anti-India terrorist infrastructure on its soil...  The 
 
NEW DELHI 00001272  002 OF 004 
 
 
pertinent question here is what concrete action has 
Pakistan taken within the past six months for India to 
resume talks?...  Going by the recent visit of U.S. 
Undersecretary of State for Political Affairs William 
Burns and the upcoming visit of Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton to India, it seems that American 
pressure has worked in the resumption of the Indo-Pak 
dialogue process." 
 
¶4. "MANMOHAN-ZARDARI MEET," editorial in June 17 right- 
of- center Urdu daily SIASAT: "The President of 
Pakistan should translate his intentions into actions 
with complete determination so that India may not 
complain. In this scenario of fast changes on 
international level, if India and Pakistan focus on 
friendship, peace and security, it will help make them 
economically powerful states." 
 
--------- 
PALESTINE 
--------- 
 
¶5. "UNARMED PALESTINIAN STATE," editorial in June 17 
right-of-center Urdu daily HAMARA SAMAJ: "America and 
the European countries have always supported Israel's 
obstinacy. In the past, America has vetoed UNO 
resolutions against Israel a number of times. It means, 
America is also indirectly involved and responsible for 
Israel's actions in Palestine. Let us see what steps 
are taken by America now to establish peace in the 
Middle-East. If Obama wants to practice what he 
preached recently [in Cairo], he should chalk out a 
strategy acceptable to both the parties. " 
 
¶6. "ISRAEL'S TRICK OF MAKING CONDITIONAL OFFER," 
editorial in June 17 right-of-center Urdu daily 
RASHTRIYA SAHARA: "Israel's proposed form of an 
independent state of Palestine is, in fact, another 
proof of its craftiness. The conditional offer by 
Israeli Premier is nothing but a trick to undo the long 
endeavors of Palestinians. What does a nation without a 
military power mean? A Palestinian state in the close 
neighborhood of Israel shall always be at stake, and 
shall always remain at the mercy of Israel." 
 
----------------------------- 
PRESIDENTIAL ELECTION IN IRAN 
----------------------------- 
 
¶7. "CONSPIRACIES AGAINST AHMADINEJAD," editorial in 
June 17, right-of-center Urdu daily MUNSIF: "Not only 
America and Israel, but the entire Western world is 
averse to see powers in the hand of Islamists in Iran. 
At the same time, Iran's nuclear ambitions are also 
unacceptable to these countries. America, Israel and 
the Western world do not want to see any Islamic 
country, after Pakistan, become a nuclear power. In 
these circumstances, how can America, Israel and the 
Western world digest the victory of Ahmadinejad? They 
tried to their best to ensure Ahmadinejad's defeat, but 
 
NEW DELHI 00001272  003 OF 004 
 
 
when he stood successful, they hatched a conspiracy 
against him." 
 
¶8. "AHMADINEJAD RETURNS" editorial in June 18 Guwahati 
English independent THE ASSAM TRIBUNE: "Mahmoud 
Ahmadinejad's landslide win...has stunned the Western 
powers... President Barack Obama, however, seems to have 
taken a softer stance and recently talked of a making 
'new beginning' if Iran 'unclenches its fist.' But with 
the nuclear program poised to continue under 
Ahmadinejad, it is unlikely the US will dilute its 
demand to halt the same. Therefore, having to deal with 
Ahmadinejad for another four years is bound to be tough 
for Obama." 
 
-------- 
PAKISTAN 
-------- 
 
¶9. "INTERNAL SECURITY OF PAKISTAN," editorial in June 
17 right-of-center Urdu daily ETEMAAD: "Pakistan cannot 
control extremism with the U.S. army in the border 
areas of Afghanistan. The people have more hatred 
toward Americans than the Taliban. It seems that 
President Zardari has no concern for the problems of 
the people. He seems to be more concerned about the 
safety and security of Americans than that of 
Pakistanis." 
 
¶10. "A NEW TURN IN INDO-PAK RELATIONS" editorial in 
June 18 Guwahati Assamese independent ASAMIYA KHABOR: 
"...The resumption of talks will benefit both India and 
Pakistan since both want to free their countries of 
terrorists...  However, the success of such effort will 
largely depend on Pakistan's sincerity.  The Indo-Pak 
relations may take a new direction if the first-ever 
closed door meeting between Manmohan Singh and Zardari 
can provide a fresh momentum to the stalled 
negotiations." 
 
¶11. "LET THERE BE PRESSURE," editorial in June 18 
independent Kolkata Bengali daily, ANANDABAZAR PATRIKA: 
"The Indian government should keep the Pakistani 
government under constant pressure. If Delhi reduces 
its diplomatic pressure, any chance of resolving the 
terrorist problem will slip out of its hands.  Manmohan 
Singh should maintain a firm stand...and try to create 
global opinion against Pakistan. At this moment global 
opinion is in favor of India and he should take 
advantage of that. This is not opportunism but 
diplomacy." 
 
¶12. "TOUGH MANMOHAN," editorial in June 18 centrist 
Kolkata Bengali daily, SAMBAD PRATIDIN: "The whole 
world is now watching Pakistan over the terrorism 
issue. After having provided generous assistance to 
Pakistan, the U.S. also realizes now that there is some 
sort of duplicity. They also want to know about the 
exact anti-terror agenda of the Pakistani government. 
The Obama Administration is giving aid to Pakistan on 
 
NEW DELHI 00001272  004 OF 004 
 
 
strategic grounds. India does not have any such 
obligation. So, it must firmly ask Pakistan to stop 
terrorism." 
 
----------------------- 
2009 TRAFFICKING REPORT 
----------------------- 
 
¶13. "INDIA A BIG SOURCE OF HUMAN TRAFFICKING," news 
article in June 18 Hindi daily DAINIK JAGRAN: "The 2009 
Report on Trafficking in Persons, released by U.S. 
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, places India in the 
Tier 2 watch list, the second-worst category in a 
blacklist of countries, for not doing enough to combat 
human trafficking... The report says that India is a base 
for smuggling men, women and children and also for 
girls from Nepal and Bangladesh for the purpose of 
forced labor and commercial sexual exploitation. New 
Delhi may be trying hard to check human smuggling, but 
it is not being able to meet the minimum standards 
required to achieve a good record." 
BURLEIGH