C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001527

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/23/2021
TAGS: PREL KPKO SOCI SU IO JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE CURRENTLY UNDECIDED ON SUPPORT FOR
REHATTING AMIS

REF: STATE 43008

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

(C) In response to reftel demarche, MOFA United Nations
Policy Division Deputy Director Yoshiaki Makino told Poloff
on March 23 that, in principle, Japan supports the handover
of peacekeeping operations in Darfur from the African Union
Mission in Sudan (AMIS) to the United Nations (UN), but will
not take a definitive stance until "closely evaluating" two
factors. First, Makino said his government would evaluate
the UN Secretariat's "contingency plan" for the handover once
a resolution on the plan is submitted in April. Second, the
Japanese Government will be closely monitoring the peace
talks in Abuja. While Makino stressed that progress within
the peace talks is "not a precondition" for re-hatting, he
explained that a security arrangement amongst all the
conflicting parties is essential to a successful UN
peacekeeping operation.
SCHIEFFER