JAPAN-BURMA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER DELIVERS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001417

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/15/2031
TAGS: PREL PGOV PHUM BM CH JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN-BURMA: FORMER FOREIGN MINISTER DELIVERS
LETTER FROM PM KOIZUMI TO REGIME


Classified By: Acting Political Minister Counselor Carol T. Reynolds.
Reasons:1.4(b/d).


1. (C) Summary: In a letter to regime leader Than Shwe, PM
Koizumi urged the regime to:

-- begin a dialogue with the international community,

-- re-open a dialogue with Aung San Suu Kyi

-- release all political prisoners, including Aung San Suu
Kyi.

In delivering the letter, former Foreign Minister Nobutaka
Machimura urged the acceptance of a visit by Malaysia's
Foreign Minister as ASEAN's representative and pressed hard
on the need to take steps toward democracy. End Summary.


2. (C) MOFA Asian Affairs Bureau First Southeast Asia
Division Director Hideaki Mizukoshi provided a readout March
16 on former FM Machimura's March 14 visit to Rangoon and his
meeting with Burma's FM Nyan Win. Mizukoshi, who accompanied
the former Foreign Minister, informed Embassy Tokyo Political
Officer that Machimura took advantage of a visit to Singapore
to accept a long-standing invitation from Burma's Foreign
Minister to visit Rangoon. In Burma, Machimura used his one
and one-half hour meeting with FM Nyan Win to deliver a
letter from PM Koizumi to regime leader Than Shwe. The
letter made three requests of the regime: 1) begin a dialogue
with the international community, including the acceptance of
the new UN Special Envoy when that person is appointed; 2)
re-open a dialogue with opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi;
and 3) release all political prisoners, including Aung San
Suu Kyi.


3. (C) In presenting the letter, Machimura strongly urged
Burma to act on the three requests and also requested that
Burma accept a visit by Malaysian Foreign Minister Hamid as
the representative of ASEAN, Mizukoshi explained. Machimura
told Nyan Win that during his meeting with Singapore's
Foreign Minister just prior to arriving in Rangoon, FM Yeo
had discussed with him the serious concerns of the ASEAN
people regarding Burma. Machimura asked Nyan Win to take
these concerns into account.


4. (C) In response to Machimura's points, Nyan Win stated
that Burma would readily accept the new UN Special Envoy if
that person had "good intentions" toward Burma. Machimura
pressed back, stating that it was important for Burma to
accept the UN Special Envoy no matter what that person's
intentions toward Burma might be. FM Nyan Win told Machimura
that Burma was working toward accepting the visit of
Malaysia's Foreign Minister in March. However, Mizukoshi
noted, the visit may be further delayed if no agreement is
reached on FM Hamid's request to meet with Aung San Suu Kyi.


5. (C) Machimura told Nyan Win that Burma's democratization
process was taking too long, Mizukoshi continued. In reply,
Nyan Win claimed that Burma had completed roughly
three-quarters of its work on the National Convention
process. However, because Aung San Suu Kyi and the NLD were
"out to destroy" the Burmese state, they could never be
accepted by the regime. Machimura again rebutted Nyan Win's
arguments by pointing out that Japan had many parties that
completely disagreed with the ruling Liberal Democratic
Party; nonetheless, the LDP engages with them in the Diet.
Democracy requires the free exchange of views, Machimura
stressed.


6. (C) The Machimura visit was one of the few occasions in
which a Japanese leader had an opportunity to engage in an
in-depth discussion on democracy with a senior representative
of the regime, Mizukoshi observed. FM Nyan Win undertook to
deliver PM Koizumi's letter to Than Shwe, as well as to
report on their discussion.


7. (C) Japan is interested in coordinating its message to
Burma with the United States and ASEAN, Mizukoshi stated.
Japan had recently discussed its views on Burma with
Indonesia and Malaysia and would try to ensure that FM Hamid
had a clear understanding of Japanese views prior to his
proposed visit. Noting Japan's concerns about China's policy
toward Burma, Mizukoshi stated that China's growing ties to
Burma may undercut U.S. and Japanese efforts to press for
democracy. Japan intends to maintain its channel of
communication with the Burmese regime, he said, otherwise
Burma's only contact in the international community would be
China. At the same time, Mizukoshi asserted, Japan would

TOKYO 00001417 002 OF 002


continue pressing the regime for democratic change.
SCHIEFFER