Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO3487
2007-07-31 05:19:00
UNCLASSIFIED
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - US MILITARY AID TO
how-toVZCZCXRO6481 PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #3487 2120519 ZNR UUUUU ZZH P 310519Z JUL 07 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5976 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 RUALSFJ/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 2306 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 4734 RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 1352 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 3080 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 5904 RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 8116 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1790 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 4180 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 5203 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003487
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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - US MILITARY AID TO
MIDDLE EAST
LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
Monday's press conference by Prime Minister Abe, during
which he called for public understanding for his
decision to hold on to power and expressed his
readiness to consider another revision to the Political
Funds Control Law in order to increase transparency in
political expenses.
UNCLAS TOKYO 003487
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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - US MILITARY AID TO
MIDDLE EAST
LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
Monday's press conference by Prime Minister Abe, during
which he called for public understanding for his
decision to hold on to power and expressed his
readiness to consider another revision to the Political
Funds Control Law in order to increase transparency in
political expenses.
¶1. "US to Offer Large-Scale Military Aid to Middle
East" Washington correspondent Hideo Kato of the
business-oriented Nihon Keizai reported (7/31): "The
USG will likely offer large-scale military aid to the
pro-US Arab nations of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well
as Israel. Washington has announced that military aid
to Israel and Egypt over the coming 10 years will
amount to about 43 billion USD, with decisions
concerning similar aid to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
states being made this fall. These US military aid
plans are intended to strengthen the militaries of the
nations neighboring Iran. Military aid to Israel over
the next 10 years will total about 30 billion USD, much
larger than the 10-year, 24 billion USD package the
Clinton administration agreed to in 1998. The USG is
considering offering economic aid on top of the 13
billion USD military package it plans to give to Egypt.
Under Secretary of State Burns will likely travel to
the region next month and reach agreements on military
aid with these countries.... Last autumn, the Bush
administration began strengthening relations with
moderate Arab states in order to isolate Hamas and
Hezbollah, as well as their state sponsors, Iran and
Syria. A senior DOD official clarified that the US is
offering military aid so as to deal with a possible
strategic nuclear threat from Iran. It is inevitable
that this military assistance will draw a strong
backlash from Iran. Criticism is also likely to emerge
over the large amount of aid to Egypt and Saudi Arabia,
both of which have been criticized for human-rights
violations and restrictions on religious freedom."
SCHIEFFER