Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Asean Foreign Ministerial/Wto

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UNCLAS TOKYO 004155

SIPDIS

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: MEDIA REACTION Q ASEAN FOREIGN MINISTERIAL/WTO
TALKS - TOKYO

LEAD STORIES: Wednesday morning's Asahi gave top play to
a fact-finding report by the South Korean government
alleging that the KCIA was directly involved in the
abduction of then opposition leader Kim Dae Jung from a
Tokyo hotel in August 1973.

1. "ASEAN Looks to Help to Resolve North Korean Issues"
Kuala Lumpur correspondent Hanada of the top-circulation,
moderate Yomiuri commented (7/26): "The Association of
Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), in a joint statement
issued at the end of its foreign ministerial, expressed
concern over the recent North Korean launch of ballistic
missiles.... ASEAN also adopted a special statement that
termed the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula
indispensable for the peace and stability of the region
and called for the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to be
utilized in seeking a peaceful solution. Given that
Vietnam and other Southeast Asian nations have close
relations with the DPRK, this expression of misgivings
regarding North Korea's missile and nuclear programs
represents still greater pressure on Pyongyang."

2. "Is Free Trade Dead?" The business-oriented Nihon
Keizai editorialized (7/26): "The WTO's Doha Round
foundered as a meeting of trade ministers from the US,
Japan, and the EU broke down, with the goal of concluding
the Round by year's end effectively being abandoned. The
multilateral framework for free global trade is now
facing a crisis. At a recent ministerial in Geneva,
criticism was directed mainly at the US, which was less
than enthusiastic about reducing government subsidies for
agricultural products. But it is of no use to debate who
was most to blame for the breakdown of the meeting. All
the countries involved bear responsibility for the
failure.

3. "The political leaders of these nations must take a
hard look in the mirror and realize that the free trade
system is the basis for growth in the global economy.
They should reflect on whether they grasp the importance
of free trade and showed leadership at home to bring
progress to the talks. They should also ask themselves
whether they fought the temptations of protectionism and
opponents of trade liberalization and tackled painful
reforms in a serious manner.... Are the WTO negotiations
dead? We do not think they are. Many countries share the
ideal of free trade; what is needed is the political will
to put it into action. We are hopeful that the talks will
reopen as soon as possible."

SCHIEFFER

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