Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Turkey

VZCZCXRO2402
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #5182 3130521
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 090521Z NOV 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9425
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
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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/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 4332
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 6737
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 3142
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 5002
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 7999
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 0061
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1957
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 6116
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 6899
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC

UNCLAS TOKYO 005182

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 - TURKEY

LEAD STORIES: Most Friday papers gave top play to the
arrest of a former executive of a defense equipment
trading firm, who is alleged to have had cozy relations
with a former senior official at the Ministry of
Defense.

"Wider War Must Be Avoided" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun
editorialized (11/9): "Dark clouds hang over the Middle
East, as the confrontation between Turkey and the
Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) based in northern Iraq
is escalating. The US has been calling on Ankara not to
launch a cross-border attack on the group. The war on
terrorism should not be expanded further. The US, which
is looking to withdraw from Iraq as soon as possible,
is concerned about instability in the
Kurdish-controlled northern part of the country in view
of the oil interests in Kirkuk. If the situation were
to develop into a major military clash between Turkey
and the PKK, the impact would be great on both Iran and
Iraq. The conflict could also sow further chaos in the
Middle East and push up oil prices."

SCHIEFFER

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