Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO1932
2006-04-11 01:31:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

MEDIA REACTION PALESTINIAN AID QUESTION -

Tags:  OIIP KMDR KPAO JA 
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VZCZCXRO8663
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #1932 1010131
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P 110131Z APR 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
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INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 5624
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 8799
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 1652
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0963
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 7827
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 9734
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 001932 

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: MEDIA REACTION PALESTINIAN AID QUESTION -
TOKYO


LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
reports from Paris concerning French President Chirac's
decision to scrap a new employment law for young people.

UNCLAS TOKYO 001932

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: MEDIA REACTION PALESTINIAN AID QUESTION -
TOKYO


LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
reports from Paris concerning French President Chirac's
decision to scrap a new employment law for young people.


1. "Caution Needed on Decision to Suspend Aid to
Palestinian Authority" The liberal Mainichi editorialized
(4/11): "The US and EU have announced that they will halt
or freeze direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority
(PA),as its cabinet is led by the Islamic fundamentalist
group Hamas, which has not yet clearly accepted three
conditions: recognizing Israel, ending its policy of
armed struggle, and respecting previous peace accords....
As long as Hamas continues to call for the destruction of
Israel, there can be no progress in the peace process.
Now that Hamas is a political party with responsibility,
it is only natural that it should be called upon to shift
from a policy of armed struggle to one centered on
dialogue.... While the US and EU positions are
understandable, they announced a freeze on aid on April
7, just over one week after Hamas formed a cabinet on
March 29. During the intervening days, Hamas had shown
some flexibility about accepting those three conditions.
Given the fluid post-election political situation in
Israel, we wonder whether the US and EU should not have
given Hamas more time. There are concerns that an effort
to 'starve' Hamas could give rise to the emergence of a
new radicalism.... Is it not unjustified interference for
the US and EU to suspend aid simply because they do not
like the results of democratization in the Middle East?
Should the Palestinians react strongly to this, it will
become difficult for Hamas to moderate its position,
possibly opening the way to the emergence of a more
radical group and dashing hopes for peace."

SCHIEFFER