MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, IRAN, U.S. POLICY, DALAI

UNCLAS BEIJING 001125 DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/CM, EAP/PA, EAP/PD, C HQ PACOM FOR PUBLIC DIPLOMACY ADVISOR (J007) SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR CH PREL ECON SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA, IRAN, U.S. POLICY, DALAI -------------- Editorial Quotes -------------- ¶1. NORTH KOREA "Three doubts in North Korean issue" The official Communist Party international news publication Global Times (Huanqiu Shibao)(04/27): "There are three questions concerning North Korea's development of nuclear weapons. First, is it a goal or a method? Second, concerning the nuclear crisis in North Korea, are we aimed at a non-nuclear peninsula or regional peace? Third, is the objective of the Six Party Talks to promote regional peace or is it to press for a non-nuclear peninsula? ... In fact the Six-Party Talks process aims at realizing security at the price of North Korea giving up its nuclear programs. We don't know North Korea's real strategy. What's more, their strategy varies. Because nuclear weapons are important to North Korea's national security, in the future the country will not sincerely give up their nuclear programs. Second, India has developed nuclear weapons, and the U.S. has progressed from taking sanctions, to canceling these sanctions and then, finally supporting India's development of a civilian nuclear program. So, what is the role of nuclear non-proliferation in national security? Third, the Six-Party Talks process has a rough future. The manageable goal of the Talks is for North Korea to give up their nuclear program, but the larger goal should be regional peace." ¶2. IRAN "Cutting nuclear weapons talks is a "test move"" The official intellectual publication Guangming Daily (Guangming Ribao)(04/27): "U.S. Assistant Secretary of State [Gottemoeller] and Russian Foreign Affairs Ministry Director [Antonov] conducted a meeting in Italy concerning the newly drafted treaty suggesting a decrease in U.S. strategic nuclear weapons. The negotiation is very complex. The U.S and Russia are unlikely to reach an agreement on decreasing their nuclear weapons and deploying an anti-missile system. The U.S. and Russia will be sure to maintain a nuclear strength balance. This will be the foundation for each country's bargaining position. Can Obama bring the U.S.-Russia relationship into a new era? This negotiation concerning limiting nuclear weapons surely will be a "test move"." ¶3. U.S. POLICY "Are Obama's first 100 days a change or a gamble?" The official popular newspaper Beijing Youth Daily (Beijing Qingnianbao)04/27): "Supporters think that Obama has the strength to create change diplomatically through soft power. Those who oppose Obama believe that he has traded national interests for his political gain. Modesty is Obama's largest political "game piece." U.S. -China relations have trended positively since Obama took office. A major change in Obama's China policy is ceasing the criticism that China is an "exchange rate manipulator." Both the U.S. and China have sincerely agreed to work towards solutions to their divergent policies. The new balance of power has influenced the bilateral relationship. Because of the rise of China's strength, the U.S. can no longer conduct the relationship from a one-sided perspective. Within the first 100 days, Obama's support rate reached 69%. However, his changing diplomacy has aroused some doubts. He has been criticized for trading national interests for other interests. Chinese experts have expressed support for his smart power diplomacy, but have also indicated the ambiguity in his Iraq policy, as well as the Afghanistan and North Korea issues." ¶4. DALAI "Dalai wants to meet Obama in October" The official Xinhua News Agency international news publication International Herald Leader (Guoji Xianqu Daobao) (04/27): "Since the beginning of 2009, the Dalai's clique has stepped-up their global separatist activities. On April 23, the Dalai arrived in the U.S. While in the U.S., the Dalai hopes to attract the attention of President Obama. Obama will be unwilling to condone actions unhelpful to the U.S.-China relationship because the U.S. needs China's cooperation and help a lot more than before. However, Obama will not do anything that is unbeneficial for the U.S. The U.S. Congress is likely to pressure Obama on this issue. Therefore, it is possible that Obama may meet the Dalai in October amid pressure." PICCUTA