TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - NORTH KOREA

UNCLAS TOKYO 002811 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 - NORTH KOREA ¶1. LEAD STORIES: Most Wednesday morning papers gave prominent front-page coverage to the GOJ's decision to suspend the bilateral working group on Futenma relocation. ¶2. "Do Not Make Compromise Readily" On Special Representative for North Korea Policy Bosworth's visit to the DPRK capital yesterday, the business-oriented Nikkei editorialized (12/9): "North Korea's return to the Six-Party Talks would probably help resolve the nuclear issue. However, simply resuming the multinational talks is not the goal. The goal is to denuclearize North Korea. The past mistake of granting one concession after another to North Korea with the goal of resuming the Six-Party Talks must not be repeated.... Nothing is more important for the international community than enhancing pressure on North Korea and calling for its unconditional return to the Six-Party Talks." ¶3. "Japan Should Strengthen Unity with U.S., South Korea" The conservative Sankei argued in an editorial (12/9): "Nothing is more important than [maintaining] coordination among the U.S., Japan, and South Korea in order to seek a comprehensive settlement of North Korean issues, including the abduction of Japanese nationals.... Holding high-level talks repeatedly without producing any accomplishments would cause the situation to revert to the era in which the U.S. and DPRK took the lead [while disregarding the other Six- Party partners]. We urge the U.S. to take a stern approach and coordinate closely with Japan and South Korea in order to prevent such a scenario." ¶4. "DPRK Aims at Talks with Higher-Ranked U.S. Official" The top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri wrote (12/9): "North Korea is well aware that the U.S. has strongly called for [Bosworth's] meeting with First Vice Foreign Minister Kung Sok Ung because he is in a position in which he can directly communicate with DPRK strongman Kim Jong Il. There is a possibility that North Korea, by taking advantage [of the U.S.'s eagerness to hold talks with Kung], may try to call for the continuation of U.S.-DPRK direct dialogue or to draw the U.S. into substantive bilateral negotiations on matters such as bilateral diplomatic normalization." ROOS