Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO2330
2006-04-28 06:11:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
MEDIA REACTION NEPAL/IRAQ - TOKYO
how-toVZCZCXRO7525 PP RUEHFK DE RUEHKO #2330 1180611 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 280611Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 1507 RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY 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/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 5960 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 9150 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2014 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 0997 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8185 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0046 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002330
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 NEPAL/IRAQ - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Friday morning papers front-paged
reports from Washington on Sakie Yokota's testimony on
Thursday before Congress concerning North Korea's
kidnapping of her daughter Megumi.
UNCLAS TOKYO 002330
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 NEPAL/IRAQ - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Friday morning papers front-paged
reports from Washington on Sakie Yokota's testimony on
Thursday before Congress concerning North Korea's
kidnapping of her daughter Megumi.
1. "Nepal: Back to the Starting Point for
Democratization" An editorial in the top-circulation,
moderate Yomiuri commented (4/28): "Facing daily
demonstrations by over 100,000 people calling for the
reinstatement of parliament, the defiant king had no
choice but to yield. King Gyanendra announced that he
would give up the direct rule he had exercised since
February 2005 and reinstate the parliament that he
dissolved four years ago. Seven major political parties
played a key role in bringing an end to the massive
demonstrations that had continued since April 6. With the
reopening of parliament on Friday, a new government will
be formed. Nevertheless, the road to reconstruction and
stable parliamentary democracy will be a bumpy one. The
focus now is on how Maoist rebels will react....
2. "The rebels have shown no signs of disarming, and they
continue to call for the abolition of the monarchy....
Although parliament has been reinstated, Nepal has only
returned to the starting point of democratization. Nearly
70 percent of the country's land is under the control of
the Maoist rebels. Strong public support for the
government is necessary to urge the rebels to disarm and
participate in politics. The new government should look
to improve public welfare while devising new systems.
International assistance is also necessary. India sent a
special emissary to urge the king to give up direct rule,
threatening to impose punitive measures, including a
trade ban, if he did not. The US and the UN also applied
pressure."
3. "New Iraqi Government: Overcome Sectarian and Ethnic
Divides" The moderate Tokyo Shimbun editorialized (4/28):
"Some four months after Iraq's parliamentary elections, a
prime minister for a permanent government has finally
been named. Although work is already underway to cobble
together an administration, there is fierce competition
among the factions in the planned coalition over the key
interior and oil minister posts. The formation of a
national unity government is the only way to reconstruct
Iraq.... In a policy speech, incoming Prime Minister al-
Maliki called for just that. It is fair to assume that
Secretary of State Rice and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld
SIPDIS
hurriedly visited Iraq to urge faction leaders to form a
coalition government."
DONOVAN
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 NEPAL/IRAQ - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Most Friday morning papers front-paged
reports from Washington on Sakie Yokota's testimony on
Thursday before Congress concerning North Korea's
kidnapping of her daughter Megumi.
1. "Nepal: Back to the Starting Point for
Democratization" An editorial in the top-circulation,
moderate Yomiuri commented (4/28): "Facing daily
demonstrations by over 100,000 people calling for the
reinstatement of parliament, the defiant king had no
choice but to yield. King Gyanendra announced that he
would give up the direct rule he had exercised since
February 2005 and reinstate the parliament that he
dissolved four years ago. Seven major political parties
played a key role in bringing an end to the massive
demonstrations that had continued since April 6. With the
reopening of parliament on Friday, a new government will
be formed. Nevertheless, the road to reconstruction and
stable parliamentary democracy will be a bumpy one. The
focus now is on how Maoist rebels will react....
2. "The rebels have shown no signs of disarming, and they
continue to call for the abolition of the monarchy....
Although parliament has been reinstated, Nepal has only
returned to the starting point of democratization. Nearly
70 percent of the country's land is under the control of
the Maoist rebels. Strong public support for the
government is necessary to urge the rebels to disarm and
participate in politics. The new government should look
to improve public welfare while devising new systems.
International assistance is also necessary. India sent a
special emissary to urge the king to give up direct rule,
threatening to impose punitive measures, including a
trade ban, if he did not. The US and the UN also applied
pressure."
3. "New Iraqi Government: Overcome Sectarian and Ethnic
Divides" The moderate Tokyo Shimbun editorialized (4/28):
"Some four months after Iraq's parliamentary elections, a
prime minister for a permanent government has finally
been named. Although work is already underway to cobble
together an administration, there is fierce competition
among the factions in the planned coalition over the key
interior and oil minister posts. The formation of a
national unity government is the only way to reconstruct
Iraq.... In a policy speech, incoming Prime Minister al-
Maliki called for just that. It is fair to assume that
Secretary of State Rice and Secretary of Defense Rumsfeld
SIPDIS
hurriedly visited Iraq to urge faction leaders to form a
coalition government."
DONOVAN