VZCZCXYZ0003
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #0709/01 1660822
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 150822Z JUN 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1755
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9240
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0673

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 000709 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - NIDA EMMONS 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: PRESIDENT OBAMA'S SPEECH IN CAIRO, NORTH 
KOREA 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage June 13-15 on the potential hike in commodities prices; on 
the legislature's passage of the Act Governing the Development of 
Renewable Energy; and on President Ma Ying-jeou's running in the 
election for the KMT chairmanship. 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, Taiwan's former 
Ambassador to South Africa Loh I-cheng commented on United States 
President Barack Obama's speech at Cairo University in his column in 
the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times."  Loh said the importance of 
this speech in which he proffers an olive branch outweighs President 
Obama's election victory speech or inaugural speech.  However, the 
impact of this speech on the Islamic world remains to be seen. 
Regarding the North Korean nuclear issue, a column in the "China 
Times" commented on the United Nations' latest resolution posing 
sanctions against North Korea.  The column said the United Nations' 
resolution is not going to do much to help denuclearization on the 
Korean Peninsula.  An op-ed in the pro-independence, 
English-language "Taipei Times" said that China is losing control of 
North Korea, because North Korea is beginning to distrust China. 
The United States should not look to China for a resolution to North 
Korea's provocative moves.  For now, resuming the Six-Party Talks is 
the only solution.  End summary. 
 
¶3. President Obama's Speech in Cairo 
 
"Obama Delivered an Olive Branch" 
 
Taiwan's former Ambassador to South Africa Loh I-cheng wrote in his 
column at the centrist, KMT-leaning "China Times" [circulation: 
130,000] (6/15): 
 
"While both Taiwan and Hong Kong were commemorating the twentieth 
anniversary of the Tiananmen Square Protest, United States President 
Barack Obama visited the capital of Egypt and delivered a speech at 
Cairo that shook the Islamic World.  In the Greco-Roman manner of 
speaking, he [Obama] delivered an olive branch, which is a symbol 
expressing goodwill and the pursuit of peace.  As far as this point 
is concerned, the long-term influence and the importance [of this 
Cairo speech] outweighs his own election victory speech or inaugural 
speech, which have won universal praise. ... 
 
"When giving the speech Cairo, Obama admitted that 'no single speech 
can change the world.'  In the last two weeks, scholars, 
politicians, and media in [various] countries continuously discuss 
how much impact this speech will have on the Islamic world. 
Different people have different views, and it is difficult to reach 
one conclusion.  Only the history can be the judge. ..." 
 
¶4. North Korea 
 
A) "The Resolution for Sanctions is Strong in Appearance but Weak in 
Reality" 
 
The "International Outlook" column in the centrist, KMT-leaning 
"China Times" [circulation: 130,000] wrote (6/13): 
 
"... After the resolution was passed [in the United Nations June 
12], how will North Korea respond?  The International community is 
holding its breath and waiting to see.  In fact, if North Korea has 
made up its mind to possess nuclear [weapons], it basically does not 
need to respond anymore.  [North Korea] can just follow the examples 
of India, Pakistan, and Israel and immerse itself in hard work 
quietly.  If North Korea really is extorting [something from the 
international community], as Western observers have been saying, 
then [North Korea should] just obediently return to the "Six-Party 
Talks on North Korea's nuclear program," and there is no need to 
respond any more. ... 
 
"North Korea closes its eyes to the United States, Japan and South 
Korea.  The United States, Japan and South Korea used the [United 
Nations'] sanctions to punish North Korea in retaliation.  The 
purpose of [the retaliation] should have been met.  However, if 
[various] countries thought that the sanctions would contribute to 
denuclearization on the Korean Peninsula, unfortunately [the 
sanctions] just work the opposite [manner] from what [these] 
countries had hoped." 
 
B) "North Korea is China's Nightmare" 
 
Sushil Seth, a writer based in Australia, opined in the 
pro-independence, English-language "Taipei Times" [circulation: 
30,000] (6/14): 
 
"... North Korea's brinkmanship is all the more dangerous now that 
China seems to be losing control over its communist neighbor.  If 
anything, North Korea is beginning to distrust China. ... 
KOREA 
 
"Pyongyang came to lean on China for a favorable resolution of 
negotiations.  Instead, it now watches Beijing joining the US and 
other states in castigating it for its nuclear and missile testing. 
... 
 
"But North Korea's reckless and dangerous nuclear politics is making 
China look increasingly impotent, with the added effect of pushing 
South Korea further into the US' fold.  No wonder China is hopping 
mad over Pyongyang's nuclear tantrums: It is finding itself 
increasingly unable to lobby North Korea for fear of creating an 
even bigger disaster. ... 
 
"There is method in North Korea's madness, but it is a dangerous 
method indeed: Knowing that Beijing might huff and puff but won't 
blow North Korean leader Kim Jong-il's house in.  Therefore, if the 
US is looking to China for an effective resolution to North Korea's 
provocations, it will be disappointed.  The most China can do is 
reconvene another session of the Six-Nation Talks.  But in the 
present mode of North Korean belligerence, even that seems 
improbable." 
 
YOUNG