READOUT OF CHIRAC'S MARCH 26-28 OFFICIAL TRIP TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 PARIS 002220

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/03/2015
TAGS: PREL PGOV TRGY FR JA CH TW
SUBJECT: READOUT OF CHIRAC'S MARCH 26-28 OFFICIAL TRIP TO
JAPAN

REF: A. PARIS 1588


B. PARIS 1935

Classified By: Political Minister Counselor Josiah Rosenblatt for reaso
ns 1.4. (b) and (d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: The MFA, the Japanese Embassy here, and the
French High Commissioner for Science all provided readouts to
Embassy on President Chirac's March 26-28 trip to Japan.
According to our interlocutors and the press, Chirac and PM
Koizumi continued to express opposing views on both the EU's
lifting of its China arms embargo and on the siting decision
for ITER, but conducted cordial meetings. In addition,
Chirac expressed continued French support for Japan's
campaign for a seat on the UNSC, and the two sides agreed to
develop an alliance to respond to "the challenges of
sustainable development," as well as seeking to multiply
partnerships in such sectors as clean energy, transport,
recycling, biotech, and nanotechnologies. In addition,
Chirac, who said he was making his "44th or 45th" visit to
Japan, was the first foreign head of state to visit Aichi
2005, the exposition that has for its theme sustainable
development. The known sumo-lover also attended a sumo
tournament in Osaka, where the hall stood to applaud him on
entry and chanting "Chirac-y, Chirac-y" at the end of the
event, according to press accounts. END SUMMARY


2. (C) Pol M/C discussed Chirac's trip with new MFA Director
(A/S-equivalent) for Asia Herve Ladsous on April 1; Embassy
of Japan DCM Yoichi Otabe provided DCM with readout on March

30. Otabe said the two main topics of discussion had been
the EU's China arms embargo and UN reform, but focused his
remarks on the embargo and ITER. Science Counselor spoke on
April 1 to the French High Commissioner for Science, Bernard
Bigot, who has been closely involved with the ITER issue from
the French side.


3. (C) MFA Asia Director Ladsous described the hour and a
half meeting and dinner between Chirac and Koizumi as
"extremely relaxed" and said the ambiance was very good. He
noted that on the main topics of difficulty, the arms embargo
and ITER, the two expressed themselves courteously, and
"agreed to disagree." He said that what struck him from the
conversation was the convergence between French and Japanese
thinking on China. It was clear, he said, from Koizumi's
remarks, that the emergence of China is viewed by the
Japanese more as an opportunity than a threat.

EU'S CHINA ARMS EMBARGO
--------------


4. (C) According to Otabe, Koziumi clearly and firmly
presented the Japanese position on the embargo, noting three
points: 1) Japan opposes the embargo; 2) China has been
increasing its military expenditures, while Japan has been
lessening its own; 3) the China-Taiwan relationship is a
factor. Koizumi cited the three points as Japan's reasons
for opposing lifting the embargo, which, he said, could lead
to an arms race in the region. Chirac, according to the
Japanese embassy here, gave a "long, explanatory response,"
and Ladsous confirmed that Chirac had repeated his line that
the lifting of the embargo will be a symbolic and political
gesture. Otabe said that Chirac had told Koziumi Japan was
looking at the embargo in the wrong framework: lifting of the
embargo would not/not mean the sale of arms and technology to
the Chinese as the U.S. Congress fears, said Chirac. There
will be rules in place to deal with/restrict that
possibility. Furthermore, Chirac added, China probably would
not even seek to import EU weapons, since it had other
sources. Chirac said that Europe does not intend to export
any more arms and/or technology to China than do the U.S.,
Canada and Australia already, noting that the latter two do
not maintain arms embargoes against China.


5. (C) The issue for the Chinese, Chirac continued, is
saving face, according to the Japanese embassy here. It is
this political element, he emphasized, that is driving the EU
decision. Chirac warned that it is also dangerous for the
U.S. to sell arms to Taiwan. He said that if the Taiwanese
public and leadership believe the U.S. will support the
Taiwanese position, even going so far as to support
independence, and the U.S. continues to sell arms to Taiwan,
this could embolden the Taiwanese in a way that could provoke
a Chinese attack, which would create a real crisis in the
region.


6. (C) According to Otabe, Chirac noted that France
understands Japanese concerns, and said the EU will adopt
measures to deal with highly sensitive technology in
establishing its code of conduct and the toolkit, measures
that would actually enhance the EU's ability to restrict
exports of these goods to China.

7. (U) During his press conference with Koizumi, Chirac
repeated the French line that the EU agreed in December to
lift the arms embargo before the end of the Luxembourg
presidency of the EU.

ITER
--------------


8. (C) On ITER, according to the Japanese Embassy here,
Koizumi noted that Japan continues to support the six-party
process and desires a mutually satisfactory solution. Chirac
responded that he believes the two sides can find such a
solution. Chirac described the Japanese proposal on dividing
responsibilities between the host and the non-host as
"positive," implying that France supported the proposal and
the EU has yet to come around on it. Chirac emphasized to
Koizumi that time for a decision is running out; he noted the
April 18 meeting of the EU Competitiveness Council, saying
"we need to expedite our work on this." Chirac informed
Koizumi that the EU is proposing sending a delegation led by
EU Commissioner for Science and Research Janez Potocnik to
meet with the six parties -- especially Japan -- before April

14.


9. (SBU) Science Counselor spoke on April 1 to the French
High Commissioner for Science, Bernard Bigot, who has been
closely involved with the ITER issue from the French side.
Bigot expressed a positive view of the outcome of the
Chirac-Koziumi discussion of the ITER issue, elaborating that
he felt there is a new spirit that could allow for final
resolution of the siting issue. As evidence of this "new
spirit" he pointed out that the Japanese have brought in a
new negotiator assigned to the task of resolving the ITER
siting decision and this individual had formally been
assigned to the Japanese Embassy in Paris, so he could better
understand and appreciate European -- and particularly French
-- views and positions. In addition, he said that prior to
the Chirac-Koziumi meeting, the Japanese did not want to
speak with Potocnik, who has replaced Mitsos, but now they
have agreed to meet with him. Bigot said that Potocnik will
be received in Tokyo on April 11, seven days before the
crucial budget debate at the EU Competitiveness Council.


10. (SBU) Bigot said that even if the issue remains
unresolved after April 18, he felt that there is still
another (perhaps final) opportunity to come to an agreement
on May 2. He emphasized the "renewed good will" in the
discussions between the Europeans and the Japanese, including
but not limited to the Chirac-Koziumi discussion of the ITER
issue. He felt that the Japanese understand and appreciate
that the European counter-offer was quite generous. Bigot
said that there was little, if any, room to improve that
offer. Chirac had conveyed to Koziumi that the French very
much want a six-party supported ITER facility (in Cadarache,
France, of course). Bigot said that the EU has inferred that
the U.S. would not support or participate in a separate ITER
facility led by the Japanese if the six-party talks break
down. He added that it would be a pity if the U.S. could not
-- in the end -- participate in ITER.

PERSONAL INTEREST
--------------


11. (C) In an interview with Asahi Shimbun given before his
arrival, Chirac noted that the fact that five years that has
passed since his last visit to Japan, during G-8 meetings in
2000, was "insupportable." In a speech in Osaka, he noted,
"I love your country, I love its inhabitants, its landscapes,
its history and its culture. I appreciate its 'art de
vivre', this demand for refinement, the taste for beauty and
the balance that marks your civilization. Each trip here is
for me a new happiness." Chirac had cut short his trip,
which he had initially planned to extend through the week,
apparently due to the mounting political controversy at home
over the proposed EU constitution. Both opposition political
figures and key figures from his own party have called for
the President to engage to stem the rising tide of
anti-Constitution feeling in France. Chirac may have
calculated that it would be unseemly to be seen as both
absent and indulging a personal affection for Japanese
culture while public opinion polls on the May 29 referendum
on the EU draft constitution continue to show a dimunition of
the "oui" and an increase in the "non."
LEACH