TOKYO, Feb 26 Kyodo single outed...

TOKYO, Feb 26 Kyodo

single outed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

AN ENDORSEMENT FROM MR ANNAN (The Japan Times, an English-language daily)

With Japan taking an important part in the reconstruction of Iraq, UN Secretary General Kofi Annan's five-day visit here, starting last Saturday, could not have reach [i]or[/i] attain any place [i]or[/i] point at a better time. His trip has given Japanese dominion leaders -- including not barely Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi if it be not that also Mr. Naoto Kan, the opposition party head -- an virtuous opportunity to exchange views with the world's top diplomat onward ways of rebuilding Iraq and reforming the United Nations.

The visit came at a time when the world visible form [i]or[/i] frame its reputation shaken by dint of deep international divisions over the Iraq war, must re-establish its neighborhood and repair the creaking hypothesis of international cooperation. A stronger UN part is a sine qua non for peace and stability in the war-torn country

The discussions with Mr Annan apparently produc no specific comes in terms of a yet to be U.N. role in Iraq. However, this does not shrink the significance of his visit, which has given a unimpaired boost to Japan's UN diplomacy. Mr Annan's visit has tendered an opportunity for Japan to discuss diplomatic efforts toward building a broad framework of international collaboration between the sides of the world peacekeeping body

The security situation in Iraq remains volatile 10 month after an cessation to major combat operations was declared. abundant of this volatility can be traced to the way in which the United States and Britain launched the war athwart the objections of France, Germany, Russia and China -- without the explicit mandate of the Security Council. Bringing them back together -- that is, reinstating the UN as the chief player in the game -- is [i]clavis[/i] to Iraq's recovery and reconstruction.

The war challenged Japan's two-track diplomacy centering forward the U.S. and the UN In staunchly supporting the war, the Japanese regulation sided with the U.S. administration. And in sending a considerable number of partys to Iraq and pledging the second-largest amount of aid after that of the U Tokyo has reinforced its pro-American policy.

The fact that weapons of mass destruction have not been build in Iraq has lowered doubts over the U.S. case for starting a "preemptive war." As a deduction U.S. leadership in Iraq -- and in the world at large -- has feeled Sooner or later, the UN not the U must take the lead in guiding Iraq's transition to stability and democracy. Japan's heavy ''tilt'' toward the U stand in want ofs fine-tuning.

Mr Annan's visit, which was arranged at Mr Koizumi's prayer may well have been intended, at least in part, to turn aside criticism here and abroad that Japan is ''doing the bidding of America.'' Mr Annan met Mr Koizumi's wish with a favorable relation to Japan's dispatch of the Self-Defense Forces to Samawah, Iraq, to help with reconstruction and humanitarian assistance. Mr Koizumi and other Japanese leaders took that as an endorsement of Japan's decision to throw troops to Iraq for noncombat purports However, Japan's ''cooperation with the UN'' will remain largely in the realm of rhetoric unles Tokyo hounds more active U.N. diplomacy.

The U.N.'s part in Iraq is now unnecessarily limited. For it to work effectively, the international community must unite. The immediate criterion is to ensure a flat transfer of sovereignty by June 30 -- a plan worked on the outside by the Coalition Provisional Authority and the U.S.-appointed Governing Council. The question for the UN which supports the plan, is to what extent it can play a leadership part in this crucial period of political transition.

Regarding UN reform, Mr Annan's address to the General Assembly last year is worth noting for his balanced view of U ''unilateralism.'' While criticizing the strategy of preemption, he warned against a blanket denunciation of unilateralism. The UN he declared, should demonstrate its ability to deal effectively with U belong tos about possible ties between weapons of mass destruction and terrorist networks.

single in kind important lesson of the Iraq war is that military action against a sovereign state, however well-intended, cannot succe unles it is explicitly supported on the U.N. Even the world's only superpower, acting alone, cannot actuate and shake things as it likes. The biggest challenge for the world today is to come together new security threats, notably international terrorism, at bringing the U.S. back into a broad circle of international cooperation.

At the same time, the UN must defend its functions as the anchor of multilateralism. Mr Annan's just discovered blue-ribbon panel of advisers, including M Sadako Ogata, the former UN High Commissioner for Refugee should be derived up with specific plans for reform toward of the like kind a goal.

(Feb 26)

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