VZCZCXRO9142
PP RUEHFK
DE RUEHKO #2223 2260235
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 130235Z AUG 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6559
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 9371
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 3115
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 4880
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2479
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 0867
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 1226
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 002223
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 - RUSSIA AND NORTH KOREA
1. LEAD STORIES: Top stories on Wednesday morning
included the decision made on Tuesday by Russian
President Medvedev to end Russia's military operations
in Georgia.
2. "Russia Should Completely Pull out of Georgia" The
conservative Sankei editorialized (8/13): "Russian
President Medvedev announced a halt to Russia's
military operations in Georgia, where the two nations
have been engaged in an armed conflict over South
Ossetia.... We would welcome the move if Russia accepts
a cease-fire as Medvedev stated and if no more civilian
casualties occur. Russia should swiftly withdraw its
troops.... Whatever reasons it had, Russia began a
military campaign in Georgia, a sovereign state,
without the approval of the international community.
This can be termed a clear act of aggression. It is
natural for the international community to strongly
call on Russia to end its military operations."
3. "Patience Needed" The liberal Tokyo Shimbun stated
in an editorial (8/13): "The USG has postponed
delisting North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism.
This decision is reasonable, as no concrete progress
has been made on verification of North Korea's nuclear
declaration.... The Bush administration has lacked
foresight. Even though an agreement was reached a month
and a half ago, verification work has yet to begin, as
no specific measures to verify the declaration have
been put forward.... Although President Bush, whose
term ends in January, appears to be hopeful about
realizing a diplomatic achievement, giving in would
create a fait accompli on North Korea's possession of
nuclear arms.... The U.S. should not make any easy
concessions but instead should come up with specific
verification measures with no loopholes."
SCHIEFFER