INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Media Reaction Q Somalia-Ethiopia Tensions And

Published: Thu 28 Dec 2006 02:00 AM
VZCZCXRO5022
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #7165 3620200
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 280200Z DEC 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9448
RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCPDOC/USDOC WASHDC PRIORITY
RUEATRS/DEPT OF TREASURY WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA PRIORITY
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY
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 9358
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 2801
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 5333
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 1450
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 1425
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2885
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 007165
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 SOMALIA-ETHIOPIA TENSIONS AND
EU EXPANSION - TOKYO
LEAD STORIES: All Thursday morning papers led with the
resignation of Regulatory Reform Minister Sato over
irregular accounting practices undertaken by his
political organization throughout the 1990s.
1. "Situation in Somalia Smacks of Proxy War" The liberal
Asahi's New York correspondent wrote (12/28): "On the
worsening situation in Somalia, there appear to be
differing views within the UN Security Council over the
council's role in dealing with a 'failed state,' with
Arab and Islamic countries calling for a pullout of
'foreign troops,' while Western powers are opposed in
view of the war on terrorism. Countering the Ethiopian
troops backing the provisional Somali government, Chechen
and Pakistani guerrillas are supporting the rebel Union
of Islamic Courts (UIC). As the UIC is said to have
accepted troops from Eritrea, the situation in Somalia
smacks of a larger proxy war."
2. "EU Expansion over for the Time Being" The top-
circulation, moderate-conservative Yomiuri's Brussels
correspondent stated (12/28): "With the upcoming entry of
Bulgaria and Romania on January 1, the EU will have 27
members and a combined population of about 500 million
people, extending all the way to the Black Sea. EU
expansion, which has been an engine for European unity
and stability, is likely to come to a halt for the time
being, as discussions on Turkey's membership have
stalled.... With Bulgaria and Romania becoming the
poorest members of the organization, there is no doubt
that economic disparities within the EU will further
widen. There is also concern that the larger roster of
members could make managing the organization more
difficult, as the EU has adopted the principle of
unanimous consensus in making key decisions."
DONOVAN
View as: DESKTOP | MOBILE © Scoop Media