Cablegate: Tokyo Media Reaction - Us Military Aid To

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UNCLAS TOKYO 003487

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 - US MILITARY AID TO
MIDDLE EAST

LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers front-paged
Monday's press conference by Prime Minister Abe, during
which he called for public understanding for his
decision to hold on to power and expressed his
readiness to consider another revision to the Political
Funds Control Law in order to increase transparency in
political expenses.

1. "US to Offer Large-Scale Military Aid to Middle
East" Washington correspondent Hideo Kato of the
business-oriented Nihon Keizai reported (7/31): "The
USG will likely offer large-scale military aid to the
pro-US Arab nations of Egypt and Saudi Arabia, as well
as Israel. Washington has announced that military aid
to Israel and Egypt over the coming 10 years will
amount to about 43 billion USD, with decisions
concerning similar aid to Saudi Arabia and other Gulf
states being made this fall. These US military aid
plans are intended to strengthen the militaries of the
nations neighboring Iran. Military aid to Israel over
the next 10 years will total about 30 billion USD, much
larger than the 10-year, 24 billion USD package the
Clinton administration agreed to in 1998. The USG is
considering offering economic aid on top of the 13
billion USD military package it plans to give to Egypt.
Under Secretary of State Burns will likely travel to
the region next month and reach agreements on military
aid with these countries.... Last autumn, the Bush
administration began strengthening relations with
moderate Arab states in order to isolate Hamas and
Hezbollah, as well as their state sponsors, Iran and
Syria. A senior DOD official clarified that the US is
offering military aid so as to deal with a possible
strategic nuclear threat from Iran. It is inevitable
that this military assistance will draw a strong
backlash from Iran. Criticism is also likely to emerge
over the large amount of aid to Egypt and Saudi Arabia,
both of which have been criticized for human-rights
violations and restrictions on religious freedom."

SCHIEFFER

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