Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06DILI358
2006-07-12 07:51:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Dili
Cable title:
JAPANESE EMBASSY VIEWS NEXT UN MISSION
how-toVZCZCXRO6172 OO RUEHCHI RUEHNH RUEHPB DE RUEHDT #0358 1930751 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O P 120751Z JUL 06 FM AMEMBASSY DILI TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2784 INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 0600 RHEHAAA/NATIONAL SECURITY COUNCIL WASHINGTON DC RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0324 RUEHLI/AMEMBASSY LISBON PRIORITY 0591 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 0432 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 0673 RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 0454 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 0530 RUEHDT/AMEMBASSY DILI 2110
C O N F I D E N T I A L DILI 000358
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS,IO
PACOM FOR POLAD AND JOC
USUN FOR GORDON OLSON AND RICHARD MCCURRY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO UN TT
SUBJECT: JAPANESE EMBASSY VIEWS NEXT UN MISSION
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
C O N F I D E N T I A L DILI 000358
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS,IO
PACOM FOR POLAD AND JOC
USUN FOR GORDON OLSON AND RICHARD MCCURRY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO UN TT
SUBJECT: JAPANESE EMBASSY VIEWS NEXT UN MISSION
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: A Japanese diplomat meeting with DCM spoke
highly of Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG)
Sukehiro Hasegawa and suggested Hasegawa should head the next UN
mission in East Timor. Japan will not contribute troops or
police to the peacekeeping operation (PKO),but believes that a
PKO under a UN umbrella is necessary. Japan prefers a large UN
presence in East Timor focused on electoral assistance and
police training. End summary.
2. (C/NF) Japanese Embassy Counselor Takashi Koizumi told DCM
that although Japan has no formal position regarding the next
Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG),Japanese
diplomats believe Hasegawa wants the job and they believe he has
done a good job so far. Koizumi praised Hasegawa's contacts and
relationships in East Timor and his history of close
consultations with President Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister Jose
Ramos-Horta, and former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. He said
the SRSG job should be graded one step higher in the UN system
than it currently is. The follow-on mission, Koizumi believes,
is likely to be four times the size of UNOTIL --- approaching
the size of UNTAET. He also noted that of all the SRSG jobs in
the world, this is the only one occupied by an Asian. Koizumi
wondered if the U.S. would be willing to put in a good word for
Hasegawa.
3. (C/NF) Koizumi said Japan would not be contributing military
or police to the peacekeeping operation (PKO) in East Timor due
to domestic reticence, which he said was partly the result of
Japan's PKO experience in Cambodia. Japan believes the PKO
should have some sort of UN status. Japan also believes there
should be a limited number of countries --- though perhaps more
than one --- providing police training in Timor.
4. (C/NF) Japan believes the next UN mission should have a
special focus on electoral assistance. Further, Koizumi said,
the degree to which the UN advises the GOET should increase
beyond what was seen with UNOTIL. He said the SRSG and
President Gusmao should preside over a consultative body and the
President should take a much more active role than in the past.
5. (C/NF) Japan's mission remains on the equivalent of ordered
departure, with nonessential personnel, dependents, and most aid
agency (JICA) staff evacuated. He said they will watch closely
what Australia, the U.S., and other missions decide with regard
to their security posture.
6. (C/NF) Comment: High regard for SRSG Hasegawa within the Dili
diplomatic community is by no means limited to the Japanese
Embassy. His principal concerns and priorities --- human rights
promotion, police reform, guaranteeing genuinely free and fair
elections in 2007, and accountability for serious crimes
committed in East Timor both in 1999 and in 2006 --- closely
reflect those of the United States. Although Embassy Dili has
been informed that there may be at least one other credible
candidate for the job, it is unlikely that anyone else would be
as thoroughly committed and well prepared as Dr. Hasegawa to
manage the complex and urgent mandate of the next UN mission.
REES
SIPDIS
NOFORN
SIPDIS
DEPT FOR EAP/MTS,IO
PACOM FOR POLAD AND JOC
USUN FOR GORDON OLSON AND RICHARD MCCURRY
E.O. 12958: DECL: 7/12/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV KPKO UN TT
SUBJECT: JAPANESE EMBASSY VIEWS NEXT UN MISSION
CLASSIFIED BY: Grover Joseph Rees, Ambassador, EXEC, State.
REASON: 1.4 (b),(d)
1. (C/NF) Summary: A Japanese diplomat meeting with DCM spoke
highly of Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG)
Sukehiro Hasegawa and suggested Hasegawa should head the next UN
mission in East Timor. Japan will not contribute troops or
police to the peacekeeping operation (PKO),but believes that a
PKO under a UN umbrella is necessary. Japan prefers a large UN
presence in East Timor focused on electoral assistance and
police training. End summary.
2. (C/NF) Japanese Embassy Counselor Takashi Koizumi told DCM
that although Japan has no formal position regarding the next
Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG),Japanese
diplomats believe Hasegawa wants the job and they believe he has
done a good job so far. Koizumi praised Hasegawa's contacts and
relationships in East Timor and his history of close
consultations with President Xanana Gusmao, Prime Minister Jose
Ramos-Horta, and former Prime Minister Mari Alkatiri. He said
the SRSG job should be graded one step higher in the UN system
than it currently is. The follow-on mission, Koizumi believes,
is likely to be four times the size of UNOTIL --- approaching
the size of UNTAET. He also noted that of all the SRSG jobs in
the world, this is the only one occupied by an Asian. Koizumi
wondered if the U.S. would be willing to put in a good word for
Hasegawa.
3. (C/NF) Koizumi said Japan would not be contributing military
or police to the peacekeeping operation (PKO) in East Timor due
to domestic reticence, which he said was partly the result of
Japan's PKO experience in Cambodia. Japan believes the PKO
should have some sort of UN status. Japan also believes there
should be a limited number of countries --- though perhaps more
than one --- providing police training in Timor.
4. (C/NF) Japan believes the next UN mission should have a
special focus on electoral assistance. Further, Koizumi said,
the degree to which the UN advises the GOET should increase
beyond what was seen with UNOTIL. He said the SRSG and
President Gusmao should preside over a consultative body and the
President should take a much more active role than in the past.
5. (C/NF) Japan's mission remains on the equivalent of ordered
departure, with nonessential personnel, dependents, and most aid
agency (JICA) staff evacuated. He said they will watch closely
what Australia, the U.S., and other missions decide with regard
to their security posture.
6. (C/NF) Comment: High regard for SRSG Hasegawa within the Dili
diplomatic community is by no means limited to the Japanese
Embassy. His principal concerns and priorities --- human rights
promotion, police reform, guaranteeing genuinely free and fair
elections in 2007, and accountability for serious crimes
committed in East Timor both in 1999 and in 2006 --- closely
reflect those of the United States. Although Embassy Dili has
been informed that there may be at least one other credible
candidate for the job, it is unlikely that anyone else would be
as thoroughly committed and well prepared as Dr. Hasegawa to
manage the complex and urgent mandate of the next UN mission.
REES