VZCZCXYZ0008
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHIN #1208 2800909
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 070909Z OCT 09
FM AIT TAIPEI
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 2457
INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING 9425
RUEHHK/AMCONSUL HONG KONG 0839

UNCLAS AIT TAIPEI 001208 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR INR/R/MR, EAP/TC, EAP/P, EAP/PD - THOMAS HAMM 
DEPARTMENT PASS AIT/WASHINGTON 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: OPRC KMDR KPAO TW
SUBJECT: MEDIA REACTION: NORTH KOREA 
 
¶1. Summary:  Taiwan's major Chinese-language dailies focused news 
coverage October 7 on the 2009 Nobel Physics Prize winners, among 
whom one holds an honorary position at Taiwan's Academia Sinica; on 
the upcoming NBA preseason game in Taipei; and on the year-end city 
mayors' and country magistrates' elections.  The pro-independence 
"Liberty Times" ran an exclusive news story on page five with its 
banner headline reading "The First One in Ten Years -- U.S. 
Cabinet-level Official to Visit Taiwan Next Year." 
 
¶2. In terms of editorials and commentaries, a column in the 
mass-circulation "Apple Daily" discussed North Korea and the 
Six-Party talks.  The article said the Obama administration has 
adopted a new approach and is letting Beijing put pressure on 
Pyongyang regarding the Six-Party talks.  A column in the 
KMT-leaning "China Times" said Pyongyang will by no means return to 
the Six-Party talks before it holds bilateral talks with Washington. 
 End summary. 
 
A) "Mao Anying [i.e. Mao Zedong's son who was killed in the Korean 
War in 1950 and buried in Pyongyang] Died with Everlasting Regret" 
 
Columnist Antonio Chiang wrote in the mass-circulation "Apple Daily" 
[circulation: 520,000] (10/7): 
 
"... The Bush administration adopted a tough and unyielding approach 
toward North Korea, which, in return, acted in a polite but 
perfunctory manner, giving the United States a real hard time.  Now 
the Obama administration has altered its approach by adopting a 
three-no policy -- namely, showing no concern, giving no response, 
and assuming no responsibility [in negotiation matters].  Washington 
shoved the already messy and difficult situation to Beijing and 
asked the latter to put pressure on Pyongyang.  [Chinese Premier] 
Wen Jiabao has brought with him a big gift [for Pyongyang], and Kim 
Jong Il should at least offer something in return to save Beijing's 
face.  But North Korea is already in possession of nuclear power, 
and now it is already too late to ask it to renounce nuclear 
weapons.  It is time China begins to taste the responsibility and 
helplessness of being a great power." 
 
B) "What Kim Jong Il Means by 'Multilateral Talks'" 
 
The "International Lookout" column in the KMT-leaning "China Times" 
[circulation: 120,000] wrote (10/7): 
 
"... Kim Jong Il, to the greatest extent, has satisfied China in 
terms of the latter's persuasions.  But Kim has a principle: 
Namely, by no means will Pyongyang resume the Six-Party Talks. 
Instead, North Korea will conduct 'multilateral talks' depending on 
the results of its talks with the United States. ...  In fact, such 
a principle is akin to groping one's way -- one step at a time: 
First, [Pyongyang] will seek to find out the U.S. intent through the 
bilateral talks.  If Washington is willing to compromise, then 
Pyongyang will drag China in ... to hold a three-sided meeting. 
Should the chances be high to modify and turn the cease-fire 
agreement between Seoul and Pyongyang into a peace treaty, then it 
can drag South Korea in and turn the meeting into a four-sided talk. 
 Once such a situation is realized, and [the parties involved] 
decide to discuss the security mechanism in Northeast Asia, then why 
not include Japan and Russia to return to the Six-Party talks? ... 
One thing is for sure:  there is no way that the United States can 
expect that Pyongyang will return to the Six-Party talks before the 
two hold bilateral talks." 
 
MADISON