VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0652 1550830
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 040830Z JUN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1677
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9224
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0654

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000652 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/PA, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA 
 
Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage June 4 on the statements of President Ma Ying-jeou and the 
opposition DPP in commemoration of the twentieth anniversary of the 
Tiananmen Square Protest; on the results of senior high school 
entrance exams; on the National Communications Commission (NCC)'s 
handling of the change of management of the two TV stations owned by 
the China Times Group.  In terms of editorials and commentaries, a 
column in the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" commented on 
United States Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg's current 
visit to East Asia as part of the United States' efforts to deal 
with North Korean nuclear problems.  The column said that, although 
the United States wants to keep the framework of the Six-Party Talks 
as well as impose sanctions on North Korea, it is still very 
difficult to contain North Korea, because all countries involved 
have highly divergent national interests.  End summary. 
 
"It Is Difficult for the United States to Build a Net to Besiege 
North Korea" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" [circulation: 130,000] (6/4): 
 
"... Washington's strategies have become more and more distinct; 
whether or not the Six-Party Talks are able to resolve problems, it 
is still necessary to keep them and not dissolve them hastily, even 
though North Korea has announced it will not return to the Six-Party 
Talks.  As far as Washington is concerned, the North Korean nuclear 
issue is a security issue not for the United States alone.  Instead, 
the issue involves many countries, so it requires relevant countries 
to resolve it jointly.  However, the United States also understands 
that, in reality, the United States and North Korea are the key. 
Since this cannot be made too obvious, it is necessary to keep the 
framework of the Six-Party Talks.  Even if North Korea wants to 
boycott [the Six-Party Talks], the situation will be one versus 
five, which will not do much to enhance North Korea's interests. 
 
"The second step is to impose sanctions on North Korea.  The purpose 
of [United States Deputy Secretary of State James] Steinberg's visit 
to East Asia is not so much for the Six-Party talks but in fact for 
sanctions.  However, sanctions are a complex issue.  As a result, 
the composition of [Steinberg's] delegation is complex as well.  It 
is insufficient to conduct diplomatic negotiations at United Nations 
Headquarters, because the issue requires relevant countries to have 
a full understanding of the items [contained] in the sanctions. 
 
"However, it is not easy to establish a 'common strategy' among the 
five countries [the United States, Japan, South Korea, China and 
Russia] simply based on concerns mentioned above.  It is because 
[the five countries] have different vital interests that the five 
have their own calculations.  Although on the surface, [the five 
countries] are equally angry at North Korea's nuclear test, the 
vital interests affected by [North Korea's nuclear test] are not 
necessarily the same.  The so-called 'common strategy' is simply 
that everyone agrees [to impose] sanctions, but there is a great 
divergence in terms of what kinds of sanctions [might be imposed]. 
Japanese media said the United States wants to build a net to 
besiege North Korea.  It appears to be that way on the surface. 
However, it is actually a broken net which cannot make North Korea 
yield." 
 
YOUNG