VZCZCXRO5339
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #0579 0650305
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 050305Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 2250
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/USFJ PRIORITY
INFO RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA 6476
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 0144
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 2038
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2154
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 8096
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 8679
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 000579
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 - UN SANCTIONS ON IRAN
1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Wednesday morning
include Toyota's intention to invest 10 billion yen in
Mitsubishi Heavy Industries' plan to develop a small
passenger aircraft model.
2. "U.S. Compromises to Apply Pressure on Iran" The
liberal Asahi's report from New York said (3/5): "The
UN Security Council on Monday adopted a resolution, the
third of its kind, to impose additional sanctions on
Iran over its nuclear program. Given that Washington
was forced to make a series of compromises to pass the
motion, it was a hard-won accomplishment for the U.S.,
which has spearheaded a campaign to contain Iran.
However, the abstention by Indonesia dashed U.S. hopes
of intensifying pressure on Iran through a unanimous
vote. As Security Council members have different views
on how to deal with Iran, cooperation will not be
easy."
3. "Disarray among Major Countries" A Washington
correspondent for the moderate Yomiuri wrote (3/5):
"The latest UN Security Council on Iran is a lukewarm
one lacking real teeth. It makes all too clear the
difficulty in dealing with a country that aspires to a
nuclear program under the banner of 'peaceful use.' The
U.S. has no effective tools with which to break the
impasse, and it has become clear that the matter will
be left for the next administration.... A fundamental
solution would involve the creation of a new nuclear
control regime that could prevent the emergence of a
new nuclear power while acknowledging the right of non-
nuclear countries to use nuclear energy. However, this
would entail a long and difficult negotiation, as it
would lead to a review of the NPT. The problem is that
Iran may steadily move forward with uranium enrichment
with the goal of becoming a nuclear power. With
President Bush due to leave office in less than a year,
the use of force is not now an option for the U.S.,
which must concentrate on stabilizing Iraq. There is a
possibility, though, that the U.S. may be forced to
make a hard decision on that in a few years...."
SCHIEFFER