Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Lebanon Crisis - Tokyo

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UNCLAS TOKYO 004224

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, PM;
USTR FOR PUBLIC AFFAIRS OFFICE;
TREASURY FOR OASIA/IMI;
SECDEF FOR OASD/PA;
CP BUTLER OKINAWA FOR AREA FIELD OFFICE;
PACOM HONOLULU FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OIIP KMDR KPAO JA
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION Q LEBANON CRISIS - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Friday morning's Mainichi front-paged a
report from Jerusalem concerning a meeting of Israeli
cabinet ministers, at which they decided to continue
military action against Hezbollah. A front-page Tokyo
Shimbun story from Kuala Lumpur reported on a meeting of
foreign ministers from eight countries Friday afternoon
to discuss North Korea.

1. "Lebanon Crisis: US-EU Discord Delays Ceasefire" The
business-oriented Nihon Keizai editorialized (7/28): "The
fighting between Israel and Hezbollah has left Lebanon
facing a national crisis. Secretary of State Rice and the
foreign ministers from European and Arab nations, joined
by UN Secretary General Annan, held an emergency meeting
in a bid to resolve the crisis. However, no accord was
reached, as the UN and European and Arab nations demanded
an immediate ceasefire, while the US expressed
understanding for Israeli military operations and called
for the disarmament of Hezbollah and the establishment of
a sustainable ceasefire.... Lebanon is facing mounting
civilian casualties, and more than 800,000 of its
citizens have been forced to flee either to other parts
of the country or abroad. This humanitarian problem
cannot be overlooked....

2. "Israel is rightly being condemned for its attack on a
UN facility, and there are increasing questions about the
US tendency to tilt too far toward Israel.... Although
the European countries are calling for an immediate
ceasefire and the dispatch of an international force, the
truth is that they do not want to accept the risk of
directly facing off with Hezbollah and are hoping that
the dispatch of an international force will take place
only after significant progress in Israeli military
operations.... Should antipathy toward the US and Israel
intensify as more blood is spilled, this would impact the
future of the Middle East peace process, the stabilizing
of Lebanon, and Iran's nuclear development. The US will
need to make a political decision from a broader
perspective."

3. "Attack on Lebanon: Move Now for Ceasefire" An
editorial in the liberal Asahi commented (7/28):
"...Israel should immediately suspend its military
assault on Lebanon. The US, its main backer, should move
toward an immediate ceasefire and hasten talks with
concerned nations. An attempt to mediate the situation by
the international community failed, as participants at an
international conference in Rome agreed on the need to
send an international force to southern Lebanon but could
not agree on the details....

4. "A prolonged conflict would not be in the interest of
either Israel or the US. Along with Hezbollah, Israel
should quickly agree to a ceasefire and allow an
international force in the area to monitor it. How to
disarm Hezbollah is a difficult question. At a minimum,
though, it is necessary to try to persuade Syria and Iran
to exercise their influence on the group. We want
Secretary of State Rice to visit Syria and negotiate.

SIPDIS
Japan should work together with European countries to
make this a reality.... Both Israel and the US bear a
heavy responsibility to put an end to the crisis in
Lebanon."

SCHIEFFER

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