MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000881

SIPDIS

DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, PAKISTAN


1. Summary: Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news
coverage July 22 on a security breach in Taiwan's Presidential
Office in late June; on the solar eclipse that happened on the
morning of the 22nd; and on developments in cross-Strait relations.
In terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in the centrist,
KMT-leaning "China Times" discussed the Obama administration's
policy toward North Korea. The article said the proposed
'comprehensive package' approach to solve the nuclear issue on the
Korean Peninsula is no different from gambling, which will only make
tension on the Korean Peninsula go on and on. With regard to the
United States and Pakistan, a column in the mass-circulation "Apple
Daily" said that without Pakistan's help, Afghanistan will
eventually become a quagmire that will trap U.S. President Barack
Obama. End summary.


2. North Korea

"Obama's Gambling Game over North Korea's Nuclear Issue"

The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning
"China Times" [circulation: 120,000] wrote (7/22):

"... Why was Pyongyang so anxious to launch a nuclear test and
test-fire its ballistic missiles? It was because Pyongyang knows
that there is a big gap between itself and the United States. North
Korea had awaited a [new U.S.] policy after [President Barack] Obama
took over the helm, but it discovered afterwards that Obama's policy
toward North Korea's nuclear issue was even tougher than that of
[former President] Bush, and that the establishment of diplomatic
ties [between the two countries] and a security mechanism on the
Korean Peninsula are nothing but a dream. What is the point then
[for Pyongyang] to walk a long way and gain nothing in the end? The
Obama administration's decision to transfer [former Assistant
Secretary of State Christopher] Hill was already an omen, and the
appointment of pro-Japan Kurt Campbell to be the new Assistant
Secretary was no different from strengthening the United States'
relations with Japan and South Korea to work jointly against North
Korea.

"According to the United States, North Korea has no intention at all
to abandon its nuclear programs, yet it has pretended to talk [with
other countries] so as to net real benefits for itself before it
canceled all the agreements. [Pyongyang] has been constantly acting
shamelessly, [the United States said]. But in reality, since the
beginning of the Six-Party talks, how many 'real benefits' has
Pyongyang got? Why not let Hill do the math? 'Being removed from
the U.S. list of countries supporting terrorism' was fundamentally a
result of secret negotiations between the two sides outside of the
[Six-Party] talks; such secret meetings were held in Berlin as well
as in Singapore. The United States was removing [Pyongyang] from
the blacklist on the one hand, while on the other hand it was
strengthening sanctions against it. North Korea saved its face but
lost more substantive interests.

"Washington, Tokyo and Seoul are now saying that such an approach to
talks would not work and they want to adopt 'a comprehensive
package' approach. To put it more bluntly, this is gambling --
gambling to see which side has the better cards, and the results are
immediate and clear. [The new approach] either works or fails, and
tension over North Korea's nuclear issue will only go on and on.
The United States finds such a gambling game worth a try, because
severe sanctions would make it very difficult for Pyongyang to break
free, and the chances are that it will likely yield once heavier
pressure were placed on it to talk. The United States has a firm
belief that 'North Korea has no alternative but to return to the
negotiating table.' Let's just wait and see."


3. Pakistan

"Battles Fought to Show Other People"

Apple Daily Publisher James Tu wrote in his column in the
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" [circulation: 520,000] (7/22):

"Pakistan's army recently fought a civil war, which lasted for a
total one month. ... Objectively speaking, Pakistan was compelled
by the United States to launch such a battle. The Taliban is
expanding rapidly in the northwestern part [of Pakistan], but
Pakistan seldom pays attention to it. The president of Pakistan
merely touched on the situation lightly, while Pakistani military
leaders have been acting indifferently [to it]. It is the United
States which is really worried. Washington believes that the
Taliban in Pakistan has linked together with the Taliban in
Afghanistan, resulting in the constant setbacks suffered by the NATO
military [forces] in Afghanistan. Washington is also worried that
the nuclear weapons deployed near Islamabad will fall into the hands
of Taliban. Due to United States coercion and inducements, Pakistan
finally sent its troops into the battle. ...
"The United States needs Pakistan's cooperation to fight the war in
Afghanistan, but Pakistan's strategic interests differ greatly from
those of the United States. [President] Obama is anxious to achieve
military success in Afghanistan, but unfortunately, if Washington
cannot persuade Pakistan [into doing what it wants], Afghanistan
will be doomed to be a deadlock. It will eventually become a
quagmire that will trap Obama deeply and he will find it hard to
extricate himself."

WANG