Cablegate: Media Reaction - Us-Dprk Financial Talks - Tokyo

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PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #7093 3550617
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 210617Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9290
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
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RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 9261
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2697
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5253
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RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2811
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 007093

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 - US-DPRK FINANCIAL TALKS - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Sankei front-paged press
remarks Wednesday by President Bush at the White House in
which he announced plans to increase the number of US
Army and Marine personnel. The daily said the planned
reinforcement of ground troops is aimed at dealing with
the drawn-out war on terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan.

1. "Unprecedented US-DPRK Financial Dialogue" Beijing
correspondent Ukai of the liberal Asahi wrote (12/21):
"The US, which had been negative about discussing
financial sanctions with North Korea, showed
unprecedented flexibility on bilateral discussions on the
sidelines of the ongoing six-party talks in Beijing....
Flexibility on the part of the US was indicative of the
Bush administration's stance of dealing squarely with
North Korea, which conducted a nuclear test amid
international concerns.... Hajime Izumi, a University of
Shizuoka professor and well-known North Korea watcher,
described the two-day discussions at the US and North
Korean embassies as a full-blown bilateral meeting, which
is deeply significant for the North Koreans."

SCHIEFFER

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