Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - North Korea

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P 020502Z JUL 07
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UNCLAS TOKYO 002994

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

STATE FOR I/RF, PA/PR/FPC/W, IIP/G/EA, EAP/PD, R/MR,
EAP/J, EAP/P, EAP/K, 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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

LEAD STORIES: Most Monday morning papers front-paged
the attempted terrorist attacks in Britain that put
that country on its highest state of alert.

1. "US-Proposed Four-Party Talks: Don't Destroy
Six-Party Framework" The conservative Sankei
editorialized (7/2): "Concerns are growing among GOJ
officials over the proposal by Assistant Secretary of
State Hill that four nations - the US, North Korea,
China, and South Korea - should meet to discuss lasting
peace on the Korean Peninsula.... Hill's proposal to
launch four-party talks even before the disablement of
nuclear facilities at Yongbyon indicates that he wants
to have such issues as Japan-DPRK relations, stalemated
over the abduction issue, discussed at a meeting of the
proposed 'Northeast Asian Security Dialogue.' Starting
four-party talks unilaterally would shunt aside a final
resolution of the nuclear and abduction issues,
granting North Korea's wish to exclude Japan from
negotiations. This is what the GOJ fears most, and it
is extremely regrettable that the US made this proposal
without giving consideration to its key ally. If talks
are held now to discuss a lasting peace, they should
take place in a working-level meeting to be created
within the framework of the six-party talks...."

SCHIEFFER

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