MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAM

UNCLAS SANTIAGO 001469 SIPDIS SIPDIS STATE FOR IIP/G/WHA, INR/R/MR, WHA/BSC, WHA/PDA, EAP/K E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: KMDR KPAO OPRC CI KN SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAM On July 10, business and financial daily "Diario Financiero" (circ 20,000) carried a column by international analyst Libardo Buitrago entitled, "What is North Korea Playing?" Quote: "The North Korean leader Kim Jon II has shown that his hand does not tremble when it comes to making fearless moves.... Kim's missile launching was intended to attract attention and force the United Stated to enter a bilateral dialogue.... North Korea has little with which to negotiate and not much to lose. It is a win-win situation for the Communist regime. United States, Russian, European or Japanese economic sanctions cannot hurt its isolated economy. Only China could cause some change, but thus far Beijing has been reluctant to pressure its neighbor. The North Korean crisis differs from that with Iran. If the issue were taken to the UNSC, as it should, there would not be two blocs of countries as in the case of Iran.... This is not a passing crisis. The missiles are a clear threat for global peace. The point is that the international community did not focus on this threat." YAMAUCHI