Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO2221
2006-04-24 09:18:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
PATCHED UP HULL: JAPAN-ROK AGREEMENT ENDS MARITIME
how-toVZCZCXRO2014 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO DE RUEHKO #2221/01 1140918 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 240918Z APR 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1307 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 1927 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1170 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 8093 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 5872 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 9055 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 7048 RUEKJCS/CJCS WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RUEKJCS/JOINT STAFF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEKJCS/SECDEF WASHDC PRIORITY RUEHKO/USDAO TOKYO JA PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002221
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2016
TAGS: EWWT PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: PATCHED UP HULL: JAPAN-ROK AGREEMENT ENDS MARITIME
SURVEY DISPUTE
REF: A. TOKYO 02098
B. TOKYO 02154
C. TOKYO 02159
D. SEOUL 1271
E. SEOUL 01314
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JOSEPH R. DONOVAN. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d
).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002221
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2016
TAGS: EWWT PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: PATCHED UP HULL: JAPAN-ROK AGREEMENT ENDS MARITIME
SURVEY DISPUTE
REF: A. TOKYO 02098
B. TOKYO 02154
C. TOKYO 02159
D. SEOUL 1271
E. SEOUL 01314
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JOSEPH R. DONOVAN. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d
).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 24, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs
DDG Sadoshima briefed Political Minister Counselor Meserve on
the outcome of negotiations with the ROK to end the dispute
that erupted over Japan's plan to conduct a bathymetric
survey of a zone that lies between their contested EEZs. DDG
Sadoshima stated that Japan and the ROK had agreed on three
points:
1) Japan will cease plans to survey the disputed area.
2) The ROK will postpone plans to submit a Korean naming
proposal to the international Subcommittee on Undersea
Feature Names (SCUFN).
3) Both countries will resume bilateral talks on the issue as
early as possible.
-- Sadoshima characterized this as a diplomatic success, but
agreed it was only a temporary solution, "not a significant
understanding."
-- Meserve commended the Foreign Ministry on its role in
averting a crisis, but stressed that their agreement is only
a patch on the problem, and that it remains very important
for Japan and the ROK to work out a lasting solution.
END SUMMARY
2. (C) On April 24, 2006, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau Deputy Director General Sadoshima briefed Political
Minister Counselor Michael Meserve on the outcome of
negotiations that took place in Seoul April 21-22 between
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Yachi and ROK VFM Yu Myung
Hwan over the maritime survey dispute. Sadoshima said that a
diplomatic solution was achieved "in the nick of time," but
indicated the result was only a temporary solution, "not a
significant understanding."
3. (C) Sadoshima reported that Japan and the ROK had agreed
on three points:
-- Japan will cancel its plan to survey the zone between the
disputed EEZs.
-- The ROK will postpone submitting a Korean naming proposal
to the Subcommittee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN),
meeting in Bremerhaven, Germany in June.
-- Both will resume talks to resolve the dispute as early as
possible.
Those talks may start as soon as May, and will be held at the
director general level, Sadoshima further explained.
4. (C) South Korea had only been willing to state that it
would submit its naming proposal "at an appropriate time,"
Sadoshima said, but Japan understood that to mean the ROK
would not go forward with its naming proposal at the SCUFN
meeting. That understanding is based on the fact that while
the ROK side would not put anything in writing for public
release, the two sides did exchange memoranda for comment and
the ROK negotiators raised no objection to Japan's
interpretation of the point that no name changes will be
submitted at the meeting in Bremerhaven, Sadoshima explained.
5. (C) Sadoshima related that he had been in his office all
day on Saturday April 22 while the negotiations were taking
place. During the day he received several "May Day" phone
calls from Japan's negotiators describing the situation as
very tense, Sadoshima revealed.
TOKYO 00002221 002 OF 002
6. (C) Commending Sadoshima and his Foreign Ministry
colleagues on their role in averting a crisis, Political
Minister Counselor Meserve pointed out that they have put a
patch on the problem, but stressed it is important both
countries work together to achieve a more lasting solution
during their upcoming talks. Sadoshima agreed, stating that
the solution that had been reached over the weekend only
dealt with "the clear and present danger." The issue is
still out there, so we will continue our efforts to avoid
these kind of antics in the future, Sadoshima assured. He
cautioned, however, that prospects for achieving a more
comprehensive solution were "not very bright" because the
positions of the two governments were "180 degrees apart."
Even so, useful suggestions will no doubt be proposed to
avoid another crisis in the future, Sadoshima pointed out.
7. (C) Asked about the reaction in the Diet, Sadoshima
replied that so far he was aware of only one LDP member
asking "some questions that were not very tough," but added
that his boss, Director General Sasae, was at that moment
still meeting with other key LDP members in order to brief
them fully on the outcome of the talks.
DONOVAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2016
TAGS: EWWT PBTS PHSA PREL JA KS
SUBJECT: PATCHED UP HULL: JAPAN-ROK AGREEMENT ENDS MARITIME
SURVEY DISPUTE
REF: A. TOKYO 02098
B. TOKYO 02154
C. TOKYO 02159
D. SEOUL 1271
E. SEOUL 01314
Classified By: CHARGE D'AFFAIRES JOSEPH R. DONOVAN. REASONS 1.4 (b),(d
).
1. (C) SUMMARY: On April 24, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs
DDG Sadoshima briefed Political Minister Counselor Meserve on
the outcome of negotiations with the ROK to end the dispute
that erupted over Japan's plan to conduct a bathymetric
survey of a zone that lies between their contested EEZs. DDG
Sadoshima stated that Japan and the ROK had agreed on three
points:
1) Japan will cease plans to survey the disputed area.
2) The ROK will postpone plans to submit a Korean naming
proposal to the international Subcommittee on Undersea
Feature Names (SCUFN).
3) Both countries will resume bilateral talks on the issue as
early as possible.
-- Sadoshima characterized this as a diplomatic success, but
agreed it was only a temporary solution, "not a significant
understanding."
-- Meserve commended the Foreign Ministry on its role in
averting a crisis, but stressed that their agreement is only
a patch on the problem, and that it remains very important
for Japan and the ROK to work out a lasting solution.
END SUMMARY
2. (C) On April 24, 2006, MOFA Asian and Oceanian Affairs
Bureau Deputy Director General Sadoshima briefed Political
Minister Counselor Michael Meserve on the outcome of
negotiations that took place in Seoul April 21-22 between
Japanese Vice Foreign Minister Yachi and ROK VFM Yu Myung
Hwan over the maritime survey dispute. Sadoshima said that a
diplomatic solution was achieved "in the nick of time," but
indicated the result was only a temporary solution, "not a
significant understanding."
3. (C) Sadoshima reported that Japan and the ROK had agreed
on three points:
-- Japan will cancel its plan to survey the zone between the
disputed EEZs.
-- The ROK will postpone submitting a Korean naming proposal
to the Subcommittee on Undersea Feature Names (SCUFN),
meeting in Bremerhaven, Germany in June.
-- Both will resume talks to resolve the dispute as early as
possible.
Those talks may start as soon as May, and will be held at the
director general level, Sadoshima further explained.
4. (C) South Korea had only been willing to state that it
would submit its naming proposal "at an appropriate time,"
Sadoshima said, but Japan understood that to mean the ROK
would not go forward with its naming proposal at the SCUFN
meeting. That understanding is based on the fact that while
the ROK side would not put anything in writing for public
release, the two sides did exchange memoranda for comment and
the ROK negotiators raised no objection to Japan's
interpretation of the point that no name changes will be
submitted at the meeting in Bremerhaven, Sadoshima explained.
5. (C) Sadoshima related that he had been in his office all
day on Saturday April 22 while the negotiations were taking
place. During the day he received several "May Day" phone
calls from Japan's negotiators describing the situation as
very tense, Sadoshima revealed.
TOKYO 00002221 002 OF 002
6. (C) Commending Sadoshima and his Foreign Ministry
colleagues on their role in averting a crisis, Political
Minister Counselor Meserve pointed out that they have put a
patch on the problem, but stressed it is important both
countries work together to achieve a more lasting solution
during their upcoming talks. Sadoshima agreed, stating that
the solution that had been reached over the weekend only
dealt with "the clear and present danger." The issue is
still out there, so we will continue our efforts to avoid
these kind of antics in the future, Sadoshima assured. He
cautioned, however, that prospects for achieving a more
comprehensive solution were "not very bright" because the
positions of the two governments were "180 degrees apart."
Even so, useful suggestions will no doubt be proposed to
avoid another crisis in the future, Sadoshima pointed out.
7. (C) Asked about the reaction in the Diet, Sadoshima
replied that so far he was aware of only one LDP member
asking "some questions that were not very tough," but added
that his boss, Director General Sasae, was at that moment
still meeting with other key LDP members in order to brief
them fully on the outcome of the talks.
DONOVAN