MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA; G-20; NATO

UNCLAS HONG KONG 000638 DEPT FOR INR/R/MR, INR/IC/CD, I/FW DEPT FOR EAP/PD, EAP/CM, EAP/P DEPT FOR VOA/BRF, TV-WPA WHITE HOUSE FOR NSC PRC POSTS FOR PA AIT USPACOM FOR FOR CIS PD ADVISER E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: OPRC KMDR SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA; G-20; NATO TOPICS: ¶1. North Korea ¶2. G-20 ¶3. NATO HEADLINES AND EXCERPTS: ¶1. North Korea "Rocket launch demands renewed six-party push" The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an editorial (4/6): "A nation's launch of a communications satellite should not normally warrant condemnation. North Korea is no ordinary country, though, so its firing yesterday of a rocket must be denounced in the strongest possible terms. The action was taken despite UN Security Council resolutions forbidding it and against the wishes of its allies and rivals. Disapproving words are worthless without action; every effort must now be made to pull the regime back into talks to eliminate its threat to global peace and stability.... The missile launch has been cleverly timed. Internationally, it comes as the world grapples with economic turmoil. Mr. Obama is reshaping the foreign policy of his predecessor, George W. Bush, and so far has centered on Afghanistan and Pakistan. Domestically, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il is trying to shore up his position after a reported stroke late last year. On Thursday, he will be confirmed for the third time as the chairman of the National Defense Commission, the country's highest governing body. Efforts to curb North Korea's nuclear proliferation have been waning. Attention is now firmly back on the issue and it must remain there regardless of the other challenges the world faces. China again has to take the lead, but this time a more robust effort has to be taken by all involved in the nuclear talks. We must move away from the dangerous juncture that has been arrived at." "Satellite has fallen into the sea but the desire to show one's strength has not yet subsided" The center-left Chinese-language Sing Tao Daily News said in an editorial (4/6): "...North Korea's rocket launch has prompted a tense situation in Northeast Asia. The UN Security Council has to call an urgent meeting with regard to this. The missile crisis is eventually submerged in the Pacific Ocean. North Korea is trying to deal a head-on blow to U.S. President Obama, who just took office, and it is attempting to increase its bargaining chips by intensifying its military threat. However, North Korea's wishful thinking will not work.... North Korea claimed that it launched a satellite. It can defend that every country has the right to peaceful space development. In addition, China and Russia called on all sides to be restrained in the Security Council. It is expected that the Security Council will not impose severe sanctions over North Korea, but it will bring down the arrogance of North Korea. The satellite fell into the sea. The world is happy that the crisis has been defused, because North Korea's long-range rocket technology has not yet matured. However, it is disturbing that North Korea's desire to show its strength has not yet subsided. In addition, there are still doubts about Kim Jong-il's health and the leadership succession. Thus, the situation in Northeast Asia is still at an uncertain stage." ¶2. G-20 "How G20 recognized the new economic order" The independent English-language South China Morning Post said in an editorial (4/4): "There may be no quick fix to the global financial crisis, but there are a number of co-ordinated measures that could help lead the world out of recession. As expected, leaders at the G20 summit could not agree on all of them. But there are some steps that must be taken now to avert looming calamity in the most vulnerable countries. On these, thankfully, the leaders did agree to act. In that respect, the first economic summit that reflects the new world order can be counted a success. Only time will tell whether it has laid the foundations for future international co-operation and a return to global economic growth.... History will judge whether, as some claim, the summit was a turning point. It papered over differences between the U.S. and China, which both favor fiscal stimulus to boost demand, and Europe, which prefers to wait and see before taking on more debt. The creation of a new agency to monitor the international financial situation for signs of risks stops short of meeting calls for global regulation, which is resisted by the U.S. Most worrying was the absence of detail about a common approach to ridding the banks of toxic assets that still cripple them. It was, after all, the banking crisis that sparked the recession. There is, therefore, a pressing need for follow-up action if the world is to emerge from it any time soon." "G20 has changed the world order, China's big power status is established" The working-class Chinese-language Hong Kong Daily News wrote in an editorial (4/4): "The two-day G20 finance summit is London is over. Participating countries have reached a six-point agreement to expand the capital of IMF, to assist poor countries, and to strengthen the financial regulatory system. The summit has created an everybody wins situation. Every country got what they wanted. This summit also highlights the status and influence of China in the international political arena.... China has showed its influence and manners as a big power in the G20 summit. China is, nevertheless, a developing country. It is also affected by the financial tsunami. Its economic growth in the fourth quarter dropped to 6.8 percent. The Asian Development Bank anticipated on Tuesday that China will face difficulties in 'maintain 8 percent growth'.... Hence, China should do what it is capable of when fulfilling its international responsibility." ¶3. NATO "Two big issues are waiting to be settled in the NATO summit" The pro-PRC Chinese-language Macau Daily News remarked in an editorial (4/5): "...NATO's actions in Afghanistan, its relations with Russia and its future strategic positioning are the important topics in this summit.... Obama called for, in Strasbourg, a more effective use of NATO troops in Afghanistan, and he stressed the threat of radical groups. He said, Al Qaida may launch an attack against Europe because it is geographically closer to the area. Thus, combating radical groups in Afghanistan is not only the task of the U.S. but also the task of NATO and the international community. In response, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown agreed to temporarily increase British troops in Afghanistan. France and Germany also support the U.S. to increase troops in Afghanistan. But all these remain as moral support, actual action remains to be seen.... With the driving force of the U.S., NATO's foreign ministers meeting last month decided to resume formal contact with Russia, following suit of the meeting of U.S. and Russian foreign ministers in Geneva, which is an important signal of restarting relations. In the just concluded financial summit in London, Obama and Russian President Medvedev held their first meeting. They both agreed to reach a new agreement on cutting strategic weapons by the end of this year.... However, if the U.S. does not give up its eastward expansion and anti-missile defense system, Russia's relations with NATO will still have hidden worries." DONOVAN