MEDIA REACTION NORTH KOREA - TOKYO

UNCLAS TOKYO 002728 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 NORTH KOREA - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Mainichi and Sankei front-paged PM Koizumi's talks with visiting UN Secretary General Annan Wednesday in Tokyo. Koizumi responded positively to Annan's request that the ASDF transport UN personnel and supplies in Iraq. ¶1. "US Not Pinning Hopes on Kim Dae Jung's June Visit to Pyongyang" Washington correspondent Sakamoto of the top- circulation, moderate Yomiuri commented (5/18): "The USG plans to watch former South Korean President Kim Dae Jung's visit to Pyongyang in June carefully to see whether it will lead to North Korea's return to the six- party talks. The US, which has recently stepped up measures to crack down on the North's illicit activities and human rights abuses, is unlikely to alter its hard- line policy even if Pyongyang adopts a more conciliatory line on the occasion of Kim Dae Jung's visit.... Although Assistant Secretary of State Hill, who heads the US delegation to the six-party talks, plans to visit Seoul at the end of May to lay the groundwork for their resumption, the Bush administration is focusing on pressure and is still skeptical about the Roh government's policy toward the DPRK.... ¶2. "There is little likelihood that the US will pin much hope on the visit to Pyongyang by Kim Dae Jung, the creator of the Sunshine Policy. Chief US negotiator Hill has emphatically said: 'If North Korea is ready to return, we would like to resume the talks as early as tomorrow.' But the US continues to call on the North to return to the talks unconditionally. Even if the talks resume, the US will not offer North Korea much in return, such as economic assistance or normalization, until the DPRK takes steps to end its nuclear programs.... In announcing the restoration of full diplomatic relations with Libya, which the US also delisted as a state sponsor of terrorism, Secretary of State Rice urged North Korea to follow a similar course. The 'Libya model' is premised on Pyongyang first abandoning its nuclear programs." DONOVAN