Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Iran

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UNCLAS TOKYO 005031

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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - IRAN

LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Monday morning include the USG-GOJ row
over the rent for the US Embassy grounds in central Tokyo, as well
as planned sworn Diet testimony today by former Defense Minister
Moriya about his relationship with a former defense hardware trading
firm executive.

1. "What Happened to Syria-DPRK Connection?" The Liberal Mainichi
wrote (10/29): "The US has decided to slap additional sanctions on
Iran for its continued uranium enrichment.... The US has also
claimed that Iran has been supplying arms to the Taliban and to
Shiite militias in Iraq. However, Iran was close to war with the
Taliban in the late 1990s over the Islamic group's killing of
Iranian diplomats. It is questionable whether the two groups are in
an alliance. The US claim that they are in alliance is reminiscent
of its contention that there were links between al-Qaeda and the
Saddam Hussein regime concerning 9/11. The US has a tendency to lump
groups hostile to it together.... This is an approach that ends in
failure.... Doubts about US intelligence collection have been raised
concerning Washington's steadfast refusal to confirm a reported air
strike in early September by Israel on a Syrian nuclear facility
that was allegedly built with technical cooperation from North
Korea....

2. "It is because it recognizes the gravity of the situation that
the US is avoiding confirming the strike. Israel similarly hit an
Iraqi nuclear reactor in 1981, and there is a possibility that
Israel this time as well launched a preemptive attack to set back
Syria's nuclear development. It is not possible that the US is
unaware of the details about the Israeli operation. Right now, the
truth about the strike must be provided. If the US willfully refuses
to release such information, it could mislead the international
community concerning the six-party talks and the war on terrorism."

3. "US-Iranian Confrontation Entering New Stage?" The
business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (10/29), "The additional US
sanctions on Iran are intended to enlarge the scope of effective
punitive measures being imposed outside a UN framework. While the
sanctions were adopted unilaterally by the US, European and Japanese
corporations will become increasingly hesitant to do business with
Iran, as the sanctions are bound to increase the risk in account
settlements and monetary remittances.... No signs have yet emerged
that Tehran is ready to make significant concessions. Iran cannot be
allowed to buy time forever. If no progress is made by the end of
the year on the nuclear issue, the UN Security Council and EU are
likely to consider enhanced sanctions. The next few months will be
an important time, and careful attention must be paid to the
situation surrounding Iran."

SCHIEFFER

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