VZCZCXRO3322
PP RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNAG RUEHNH
DE RUEHKO #3170 3220706
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 170706Z NOV 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8871
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 1022
RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA 3381
RUEHNAG/AMCONSUL NAGOYA 9042
RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO 1591
RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE 4810
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 6440
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW 2618
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL 2420
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 2582
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC
UNCLAS TOKYO 003170
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 - U.S.-IRAQ SECURITY PACT
AND PAKISTAN
1. LEAD STORIES: Most Tuesday morning papers
front-paged the one-on-one meeting between Prime
Minister Aso and DPJ President Ozawa on Monday, during
which Ozawa reportedly urged Aso to submit a second
supplementary budget bill to the current Diet session.
2. "Source of Conflict Remains over Waiver of Criminal
Prosecution" On the U.S.-Iraq security pact that will
govern U.S. troops in Iraq beyond January, a Cairo
correspondent for the liberal Asahi wrote (11/18): "The
biggest factor that prolonged bilateral negotiations
was the issue of waiving criminal prosecution for U.S.
personnel who commit crimes, as well as a timetable for
a U.S. pullout.... The U.S. has agreed that Iraq will
have jurisdiction in cases of serious crimes committed
by service members while off duty. However, a final
draft of the bilateral pact states that U.S.
authorities are granted right to determine whether a
crime was committed 'off duty.' It remains to be seen
whether the Iraqi parliament will endorse this point.
The Iraqis are focused on this matter, given that many
have suffered from accidents and incidents (involving
U.S. personnel)."
3. "Concern About Pakistan Sliding into Civil War" The
liberal Mainichi reported from New Delhi (11/18):
"Concern is mounting in Pakistan about President-elect
Obama, as he during the campaign expressed his
readiness to carry out cross-border missile attacks
from Afghanistan and to deploy ground troops in
Pakistan. In view of Pakistan's continued military
operations against Taliban-affiliated militias in its
tribal areas bordering Afghanistan, the security
situation in Pakistan is at the worst level since the
nation's founding, with its economy on the verge of
collapse. There exists a sense of crisis in Pakistan
over the country possibly falling into civil war if
U.S. pressure continues."
SCHIEFFER