Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Dprk Nuclear Program

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PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #1790 1820806
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P 300806Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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UNCLAS TOKYO 001790

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 - DPRK NUCLEAR PROGRAM
AND U.S.-CHINA RELATIONS

1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Monday morning included
a plan among Japan, China, and South Korea to hold a
joint medical response drill in October aimed at
dealing with a possible influenza pandemic.

2. "U.S., China Enhance Security Coordination" A
correspondent for the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri
reported from Beijing (6/30): "Secretary of State
Rice's agreement with Chinese Foreign Minister Yang on
enhanced bilateral cooperation on such diplomatic items
as the six-party talks on North Korea, cross-Strait
relations, and Iran's nuclear development leaves the
impression of a 'honeymoon' between the two countries.
While bilateral friction may be unavoidable in the
future over such issues as control of the Pacific
Ocean, now is the time for the two powers to enhance
coordination on security issues with global
implications."

3. "DPRK Utilizes Wasted Structure" A Seoul-based
reporter for the top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri
commented (6/28): "The destruction of the cooling tower
at Yongbyon was carried out not as part of the agreed-
upon nuclear disablement process but as a step that
constitutes the removal of nuclear facilities whose
details will be worked out in the six-party talks. The
U.S. and North Korea agreed to use the dramatic impact
of the destruction to advance the six-party talks.
However, while the U.S. is determined to have North
Korea denuclearize, the DPRK appears to have no
intention of giving up its nuclear arsenal. Finding a
solution to this basic disagreement will not be easy."

4. "'Action-for-Action' Principle Should Be Discarded"
On the U.S. decision to delist North Korea as a state
sponsor of terrorism in return for its submission of a
nuclear declaration, the Beijing bureau chief of the
top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri wrote (6/29): "The
concurrent actions taken by the U.S. and North Korea
appear to be disproportionate. In its nuclear
declaration, North Korea only mentioned its plutonium-
related activities and stopped short of providing any
information concerning nuclear weapons or uranium
enrichment. It successfully secured delisting, which it
wanted badly, by playing a substance-free card.... The
Bush administration, impatient for a foreign policy
accomplishment, took action concurrently. Washington
has been hamstrung by the 'action for action'
principle.... The concurrent yet asymmetrical actions
taken by the two countries makes clear that a rogue
state can take advantage of the promise of 'action for
action' in order to advance diplomacy to its own
liking."

SCHIEFFER

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