Cablegate: Media Reaction - Bolton Resignation - Tokyo
VZCZCXRO7209
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #6866 3400159
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 060159Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8904
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9086
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2516
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5103
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1404
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1200
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2680
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 006866
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 - BOLTON RESIGNATION - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Wednesday morning's economic daily Nihon
Keizai front-paged a report that the FRB and other US
authorities will likely punish the Mitsubishi UFJ
Financial Group by year's end for the alleged failure of
the banking group's New York branch to take sufficient
measures to prevent money laundering.
1. "Bolton Resignation: Time for US to Change Its UN
Diplomacy" The liberal Asahi editorialized (12/6): "US
Ambassador to the UN Bolton has decided to resign. As a
neocon, Bolton was known for pursuing a form of diplomacy
at the UN that prioritized US national interests over
international cooperation.... With Defense Secretary
Rumsfeld having announced his resignation to take
responsibility for the spiraling chaos in Iraq, the Bush
administration is now losing its man at the UN,
exemplifying the president's receding authority.... Just
as Rumsfeld's resignation has prompted a review of US
strategy in Iraq, Bolton's resignation should be seized
as an opportunity to shift toward a track that attaches
importance to international cooperation.... Bolton worked
with Japan to get a resolution passed unanimously by the
UNSC condemning North Korea's nuclear test.... On UNSC
reform, though he voiced support for Japan's bid to
become a permanent member, that did not translate into
action, as he was unenthusiastic about a plan to expand
UNSC membership."
SCHIEFFER