MEDIA REACTION Q IRAQ - TOKYO

UNCLAS TOKYO 007138 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 Q IRAQ - TOKYO LEAD STORIES: Most Wednesday morning papers front-paged an announcement Tuesday by the Iraqi High Appeals Court that it has upheld the death sentence for Saddam Hussein. ¶1. "Chaos in Iraq No Longer Connected with Hussein" Cairo correspondent Tachino of the liberal Asahi wrote (12/27): "On Tuesday, the Iraqi High Appeals Court upheld Saddam Hussein's death sentence.... The al-Maliki government appears eager to send Saddam to the gallows as soon as possible in the hope of making a break with the past and heading off the chaos that grips the country. The current situation, however, is at this point unrelated with the former Iraqi president. Following the High Court's finalization of the death sentence, Prime Minister Maliki proposed Hussein's execution by year's end, saying that the sooner it is carried out, the better for the Iraqi people, drawing criticism from international human rights organizations. It is also inevitable that the death sentence will draw criticism from the Kurds, who are calling for court hearings concerning the massacre of Kurds when Hussein was in power." ¶2. "Finalization of Hussein's Death Sentence Will Fuel Chaos in Iraq" Cairo correspondent Takahashi of the liberal Mainichi wrote (12/27): "There are already concerns that Iraq's security situation could further deteriorate following the Iraqi High Appeals Court's ruling upholding Saddam Hussein's death sentence. It is likely that remnants of the pro-Saddam Baath Party and military, who regard the al-Maliki government as an American puppet, will step up their attacks on Iraqi security forces. Radical groups linked with al-Qaeda will also likely intensify terrorist attacks on Shiites." DONOVAN