TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - GAZA AND OBAMA'S

UNCLAS TOKYO 000105 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 - GAZA AND OBAMA'S FOREIGN POLICY ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Tuesday morning included today's inauguration of President-elect Obama, as well as a GOJ panel finding that cloned beef and pork are safe to eat. ¶2. "Ceasefire Should Be Used to Jumpstart Peace Talks" The business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (1/20): "Direct talks between Israel and the Palestine Authority, as well as Turkey-brokered negotiations between Israel and Syria, have ground to a halt over the past several weeks. The international community should take advantage of a ceasefire arrangement in Gaza to resuscitate the Middle East peace process." ¶3. "Path toward Permanent Peace" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun asserted in an editorial (1/20): "Until now, heavy prices have been paid to learn a hard lesson that military force alone will not lead to Middle East peace. Concerned parties should take full advantage of the ceasefire in Gaza in order to ensure a lasting truce by realizing the complete withdrawal of Israeli troops and concentrating on reconstruction." ¶4. "Ceasefire in Gaza - Step toward Middle East Peace" The conservative Sankei stated (1/20): "The U.S. should strive for resuming peace talks for the greater Middle East by cooperating with Egypt and European countries, given that the stabilization of Gaza would be impossible without peace in the overall region." ¶5. "What Went Wrong with War on Terror" The liberal Asahi insisted (1/20): "The Obama administration will undoubtedly take a line different from the Bush administration in combating terrorism, as Secretary of State-designate Clinton has stated that the new administration will stress international coordination in order to increase friends and to reduce adversaries. The inauguration of the new U.S. administration smacks of the arrival of a new trend that President Bush's 'either friend or foe' approach will no longer be valid in the war on terror." ¶6. "U.S., Russia Must Cooperate on Arms Reduction" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun argued in an editorial (1/20): "START I Treaty will expire later this year. The U.S. and Russia should cooperate with each other in order to sign a new nuclear arms reduction accord. Such a pact, if sealed, would mark a milestone for global arms control. The Obama administration should also urge India, Pakistan, and others to sign and ratify the CTBT at an early date." ZUMWALT