Cablegate: Media Reaction: South and Central Asia: Pakistan,

VZCZCXYZ0021
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHSO #0683 2251240
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 131240Z AUG 07
FM AMCONSUL SAO PAULO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 7331
INFO RHEHNSC/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHDC IMMEDIATE
RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 8440
RUEHRI/AMCONSUL RIO DE JANEIRO PRIORITY 8246
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC 2872

UNCLAS SAO PAULO 000683

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE INR/R/MR; IIP/R/MR; WHA/PD

DEPT PASS USTR

USDOC 4322/MAC/OLAC/JAFEE
E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: KMDR OPRC OIIP ETRD BR
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: SOUTH AND CENTRAL ASIA: PAKISTAN,
GOVERNANCE; SCO PAULO

"Pakistani Knot"

Liberal, largest national circulation daily Folha de S. Paulo (8/13)
editorialized: "Political instability in Pakistan has made the US
make contingency plans for a possible fall of dictator Pervez
Musharraf. Washington's main concerns are the fight against
terrorism and control over the Pakistani nuclear arsenal. Allied to
Bush, Musharraf is currently facing a long list of problems....
Adding to such problems the dispute with the Judiciary, which has
made increasingly uncertain his plans to obtain another presidential
term and maintain himself as the chief of the Armed Forces, we have
an explanation for the rumors that Musharraf may decree a state of
emergency. Apparently he did not do so last week because of Secstate
Condoleezza Rice's intense pressure.... So far there is no sign that
Musharraf may be overthrown, but his situation is not a tranquil
one. He has the loyalty of the Army's lay officers, but not that of
the troops, which, as the majority of the population, are made up of
religious people who look with suspicion upon the alliance with the
US and hesitate to repress Islamic radicals."
White

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