TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - UN SANCTIONS ON IRAN

UNCLAS TOKYO 000579 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 - UN SANCTIONS ON IRAN ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Wednesday morning include Toyota's intention to invest 10 billion yen in Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' plan to develop a small passenger aircraft model. ¶2. "U.S. Compromises to Apply Pressure on Iran" The liberal Asahi's report from New York said (3/5): "The UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution, the third of its kind, to impose additional sanctions on Iran over its nuclear program. Given that Washington was forced to make a series of compromises to pass the motion, it was a hard-won accomplishment for the U.S., which has spearheaded a campaign to contain Iran. However, the abstention by Indonesia dashed U.S. hopes of intensifying pressure on Iran through a unanimous vote. As Security Council members have different views on how to deal with Iran, cooperation will not be easy." ¶3. "Disarray among Major Countries" A Washington correspondent for the moderate Yomiuri wrote (3/5): "The latest UN Security Council on Iran is a lukewarm one lacking real teeth. It makes all too clear the difficulty in dealing with a country that aspires to a nuclear program under the banner of 'peaceful use.' The U.S. has no effective tools with which to break the impasse, and it has become clear that the matter will be left for the next administration.... A fundamental solution would involve the creation of a new nuclear control regime that could prevent the emergence of a new nuclear power while acknowledging the right of non- nuclear countries to use nuclear energy. However, this would entail a long and difficult negotiation, as it would lead to a review of the NPT. The problem is that Iran may steadily move forward with uranium enrichment with the goal of becoming a nuclear power. With President Bush due to leave office in less than a year, the use of force is not now an option for the U.S., which must concentrate on stabilizing Iraq. There is a possibility, though, that the U.S. may be forced to make a hard decision on that in a few years...." SCHIEFFER