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UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 NEW DELHI 001517 
 
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 REPORT: MEDIA COVERAGE OF SECRETARY 
CLINTON'S VISIT TO INDIA - PART II (Continued) 
 
SUMMARY: Secretary Clinton's visit to India continues 
to receive positive comment, although a section of the 
media has jumped into the fray with the Parliamentary 
opposition regarding India's agreement to End-User 
Monitoring language.  In countering the allegations of 
a "sellout," the Indian government found support from 
the nation's leading newspaper, THE TIMES OF INDIA, 
which reminded the "hawks" that monitoring was not an 
India-specific clause, and that the Secretary's visit 
actually took the relationship a notch higher.  THE 
HINDU questioned what it perceived as the Secretary's 
contradictory stands on the question of uranium 
enrichment and reprocessing.  Leading vernacular 
language newspapers saw the visit as the "dawn of a new 
era."  THE MINT said Secretary Clinton's silence on 
Kashmir signals acknowledgement from the U.S. that 
meddling in the matter will only alienate India, an 
ally it crucially needs.  Commentary from India's 
leading English and language newspapers follows.  End 
summary. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ------ 
MILITARY PACT WITH U.S. COMES UNDER FIRE; GOVERNMENT 
SAYS NO SURRENDER 
--------------------------------------------- ------- 
 
¶1. Media reports said that the Indian government, under 
attack from the Opposition for "compromising" national 
sovereignty by agreeing to allow U.S. inspection of 
military installations, asserted it has not bargained 
away India's interest by going in for the End-User 
Monitoring Agreement with America. 
 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
HAS HILLARY DISOWNED U.S. POLICY ON ENR SALES TO INDIA? 
--------------------------------------------- ---------- 
 
¶2. Referring to the Secretary's response in New Delhi 
on the issue of enrichment and reprocessing, THE HINDU 
asked why the U.S. took one stand in Delhi, and another 
at NSG. On November 20, 2008, the U.S. threw its full 
weight behind new draft rules at the Nuclear Suppliers 
Group that ban the sale of enrichment and reprocessing 
(ENR) items to India. "When Secretary Clinton was asked 
on Monday whether the U.S.-sponsored NSG move 
undermined the Indo-U.S. nuclear deal, her answer took 
everyone by surprise," the paper's strategic editor 
Siddhartha Varadarajan said. 
 
----------------------------------------- 
EDITORIAL COMMENTARY IN THE ENGLISH PRESS 
----------------------------------------- 
 
¶3. "UP ONE NOTCH," editorial in July 22 centrist, 
national English daily, THE TIMES OF INDIA: "Secretary 
of State Hillary Clinton's trip to India not only 
packed plenty of symbolism, there was substance as 
well. After the atmospherics came the real deal, taking 
ties between the two countries up another notch. End- 
user obligations require India to let the US monitor 
the use of defense equipment and technology New Delhi 
 
NEW DELHI 00001517  002 OF 004 
 
 
procures from Washington. This is not an India-specific 
clause but a requirement of the US Arms Export Control 
Act of 1996. Predictably, some hawks allege that India 
is surrendering its defense sovereignty. That's not 
true." 
 
¶4. "END-USE ACCORD," editorial in July 22 centrist THE 
STATESMAN: "It would be all too easy, as expected from 
some politicians and 'nationalists', to ride a 
patriotic high horse and insist that having paid for 
the equipment India should not succumb to any American 
inspection or verification regime. Yet, being a major 
exporter of weapons and systems, a certain 
responsibility does devolve upon American authorities 
to ensure that their products are not diverted to 
questionable usage. Finalizing an umbrella accord is 
welcome." 
 
¶5. "CLINTON AND THE SOUND OF SILENCE," editorial in 
July 22 centrist, national business daily, THE MINT: 
"Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's trip to India was 
marked by what was nearly inaudible: the K-word, or 
Jammu and Kashmir (J&K). The Obama administration 
appears to be sensitive in bringing up the K-word. 
Obama apparently excised India from US Ambassador 
Richard Holbrooke's mandate over South Asia to refrain 
from angering New Delhi on the matter. The US cannot 
ignore India for business reasons. If it makes noises 
about J&K, it will only harm itself more. It signals US 
acknowledgement that meddling in the matter will only 
alienate India -- an ally it crucially needs." 
 
¶6. "EXPLAIN THIS," editorial in July 22 centrist 
English newspaper, DAILY NEWS & ANALYSIS: "The end-user 
monitoring arrangement that India has agreed to with 
the US at the end of Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton's visit will remain a contentious issue. The 
arrangement gives the Americans the right to make on- 
site inspections of the military hardware that India 
buys from them. This is an intrusive practice whatever 
its justification from the American point of view. 
There is no need to see conspiracy theories behind the 
deepening strategic relations with the US. At the same 
time, it cannot mean that the relationship and what it 
entails cannot be questioned." 
 
¶7. "A DEEPENING RELATIONSHIP," editorial in July 22, 
left-of-center English daily, DECCAN CHRONICLE: "The 
agreements reached and signed between India and the 
United States in New Delhi on Monday evening during the 
visit of America's secretary of state Hillary Clinton 
will doubtless have a long-term impact on relations 
between the two major democracies. As Ms Clinton 
rightly noted, the military end-user agreement can be 
the harbinger of greater defense cooperation between 
the two countries." 
 
¶8. "A FRUITFUL TRIP FOR HILLARY," editorial in July 22, 
independent and right-of-center English Daily, THE NEW 
INDIAN EXPRESS: "US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton 
has completed a whirlwind tour of Mumbai and Delhi. She 
 
NEW DELHI 00001517  003 OF 004 
 
 
met educationists, women, businessmen, and from her 
point of view it was a successful visit. She managed to 
get India to sign the end-user verification agreement 
that will now enable the US to sell its defense wares 
to India. Already defense trade to the tune of $20 
billion -- excluding the big ticket items like the 
multi-role light combat aircraft deal -- is being 
talked of as US MNCs get ready to sell their 
helicopters and aircraft to India." 
 
¶9. "WARMING EARTH," editorial in July 22 centrist THE 
TELEGRAPH: "The contention of the West is that if an 
environmental catastrophe is to be avoided, India and 
China have to adhere to a low-carbon development path. 
This was in summary terms one of the messages that 
Hillary Clinton brought to India. The logic of this 
position is undeniable but as the government of India 
has pointed out in all international fora devoted to 
the issue of climate change, it is utterly unfair and 
skewed in favor of the Western world." 
 
-------------------------------------- 
EDITORIAL COMMENTARY IN LANGUAGE PRESS 
-------------------------------------- 
 
¶10. "DAWN OF A NEW ERA," editorial in July 22 Hindi 
daily, NAVBHARAT TIMES: "U.S. Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton's visit can really herald the 
proverbial dawn of a new era in Indo-U.S. relations. 
The goal was to connect with the people of India, and 
that she did very successfully. India had been wary of 
a Democratic administration in the U.S., and that fear 
had been accentuated by certain pronouncements of 
President Obama. But with her visit and her remarks, 
Hillary Clinton put to rest those fears. The Clinton 
visit shows America sees India as a potential world 
leader!" 
 
¶11. "HILLARY'S VISIT," editorial in July 22 Hindi 
daily, DAINIK HINDUSTAN: "Nobody knows how to please 
crowds and win their hearts like Hillary Clinton does. 
That is exactly what she did in Mumbai -- so much so 
that it seemed like she was in India not for any 
serious business but to carry out a public relations 
exercise. It can be argued that a public relations 
exercise in India was much needed at this hour, with 
all the apprehensions about what the Obama 
administration's attitude towards India will be." 
 
¶12. "WHY IS HILLARY CLINTON'S VISIT IMPORTANT?" 
editorial in July 21 right-of-center Urdu daily, 
ETEMAD: "Secretary Clinton's visit to India is an 
indication of basic changes in US South Asia policy. 
The visit is also an effort to give a final shape to 
the plan envisaged by the Obama administration with 
regard to Indo-Pak bilateral relations. According to 
Hillary Clinton, the US does not want to dictate terms, 
interfere or take arbitrary decisions in others' 
affairs. Her statement shows that America has realized 
its past mistakes, and it does not want to repeat 
them." 
 
NEW DELHI 00001517  004 OF 004 
 
 
 
¶13. "AN EXERCISE TO IMPROVE THE RELATIONSHIP," 
editorial in Bangalore-based left-of-center Kannada 
daily, PRAJAVANI: "Several pacts relating to 
agriculture, technology, military equipments have been 
signed during the recent visit of U.S. Secretary of 
State Hillary Clinton. Already the End-User agreement 
is rocking the Parliament. India has to allay the 
doubts about this issue. No major pacts have been 
signed during the visit. However, it was definitely a 
good exercise to improve bilateral relations." 
 
¶14. "IS EVERYTHING BILATERAL?" editorial in July 22, 
independent Telugu daily, SAKSHI: "As a person who is 
seen as being favorable to India, Hillary Clinton's 
five-day visit to the country has paved the way for new 
work to be done in the old way with regard to the 
bilateral relations between the two countries." 
 
¶15. "HILLARY'S DIPLOMATIC BARGAIN," editorial in July 
22 Telugu daily, EENADU: "U.S. Secretary of State 
Hillary Clinton is known to be a very shrewd bargainer. 
In one of the markets in Delhi, she purchased a kurti 
[shirt] priced at Rs 200 for Rs 150 and she bought a 
metal bracelet which was priced similarly for Rs 135. 
Hillary on behalf of America is a master at diplomatic 
bargaining." 
 
¶16. "FAVORABLE GUEST," article in July 20, independent 
Telugu daily, SAKSHI: "U.S. Secretary of State Hillary 
Clinton has lauded the self-confidence and sprit of 
India. She stayed in the historic tower wing of the Taj 
Mahal hotel. While condemning the incident, she 
appreciated the fight that India was carrying out 
against terrorism." 
 
BURLEIGH