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PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #6352 3060538
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 020538Z NOV 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8003
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
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RHHMHBA/COMPACFLT PEARL HARBOR HI//N541// PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/HQ PACAF HICKAM AFB HI//CC/PA// PRIORITY
RUHBANB/OKINAWA FLD OFC US FORCES JAPAN CP BUTLER JA PRIORITY
RHMFIUU/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 8683
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2078
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4762
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1328
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0871
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2433
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 006352
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 NORTH KOREA - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: Thursday morning's Yomiuri front-paged
plans by the USG and GOJ to demand at an early stage of
the resumed six-party talks that North Korea clarify its
intention to completely dismantle its nuclear program.
1. "Six-Party Talks: First, Stop the Situation from
Worsening" The liberal Asahi editorialized (11/2): "North
Korea will return to talks with the international
community.... At least for the time being, dialogue is
back on track, and this is a welcome development....
Nevertheless, this does not mean that there has been
movement toward a resolution of the North Korean nuclear
crisis. Pyongyang has agreed to sit down at the table,
but the crisis itself remains unchanged. It is not clear
what the North Koreans are thinking in returning to the
six-party talks, though they are likely seeking economic
assistance after ratcheting up the crisis by launching
missiles and testing a nuclear weapon. They must not be
allowed to repeat this kind of brinkmanship.... North
Korea is continuing to make nuclear material and develop
missiles. It will not be easy to get that country to
abandon the military projects on which the regime has
staked its survival. Given the circumstances, our
priority now should be to keep the situation from
worsening, which means getting Pyongyang to freeze its
nuclear program and to forgo any further nuclear tests."
SCHIEFFER