INDEPENDENT NEWS

Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Bush's Trip to Europe

Published: Wed 13 Jun 2007 05:18 AM
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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: TOKYO MEDIA REACTION - BUSH'S TRIP TO EUROPE
1. LEAD STORIES: Wednesday morning's economic daily
Nihon Keizai front-paged GOJ plans to resume full-scale
military exchanges with China after a suspension of
more than nine years.
2. "Bush Receives Warm Welcome in Former Communist
Nations" Sofia correspondent Takashi Sadahiro of the
top-circulation, moderate Yomiuri wrote (6/13):
"President Bush returned to Washington Tuesday morning
(Japan time) after touring Bulgaria, the last stop on
his eight-day trip to Europe. Although the president
has seen his support at home drop sharply and is
accustomed to anti-American demonstrations when he
travels abroad, he received a warm welcome in Albania
and Bulgaria, demonstrating that pro-US sentiment
remains strong in Central and Eastern Europe.... The
countries of Central and Eastern European, which
suffered under the domination of the Soviet Union,
became pro-American after the end of the Cold War, with
some of them taking part in the US-led war on terror.
Albania, for example, has decided to bolster its troops
in Afghanistan. CSIS Europe Program Senior Fellow Dale
Reginald said that President Bush's visit to Central
and Eastern Europe and the warm reception he received
there sent a strong message to President Putin that
Russia can no longer impose its will on those nations."
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