MOFA NON-PROLIFERATION DG NAKANE TO VISIT INDIAN

UNCLAS TOKYO 002339 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PREL JA IR IN KNNP IAEA PREL PARM ENRG SUBJECT: MOFA NON-PROLIFERATION DG NAKANE TO VISIT INDIAN COUNTERPART, MAY 1 -------------- Japan-India Non-Proliferation Dialogue -------------- ¶1. EST MinCouns called on MOFA Director General for Disarmament, Science and Non-Proliferation Ambassador Takeshi Nakane on April 28 to get a preview of possible agenda items for Nakane's May 1 bilateral meetings in New Delhi with his GOI counterpart. Japan and India initially had been discussing disarmament and non-proliferation on the sidelines of a broader bilateral security dialogue, but a January 2006 joint statement by Japan FM Aso and Indian Minister for External Affairs Ahamed calls on Japan and India to hold annual discussions on these issues. Nakane, Arms Control and Disarmament Division Director Kiyoshi Serizawa, and Arms Control and Disarmament Division desk officer Masamitsu Nagano will attend the May 1 meeting. Consistent with the stovepiping that persists in MOFA's approach to India and non-proliferation, no one from MOFA's South Asia Division is involved in Nakane's trip. ¶2. Nakane told EST MinCouns the agenda will be general in nature, but Japan will press India for more information on some specific questions, such as the nature of India's proposed safeguards agreement with the IAEA and a more detailed description of India's efforts to separate its military and civilian nuclear infrastructure. Japan also hopes to engage India on export control issues and will formally urge India to actively participate in the Proliferation Security Initiative. Japan sees India as an emerging global partner and wants to avoid antagonizing India and politicizing these issues. (NOTE: Nakane agreed to give EST MinCouns a read out of his meetings in India upon his return.) -------------- Iran -------------- ¶3. Noting that the deadline for Iranian compliance with the United Nations Security Council had passed, Nakane said Japan remains very concerned about Iran's activities and its attitude. Iran consistently has ignored requests by the international community to halt its nuclear activities and continues to act provocatively. Japan has relayed its concerns to the Iranian government many times and still considers the application of consistent and unified international pressure to be the best approach. That said, the GOJ does not consider Iran's latest proposal to be a legitimate good faith effort to resume negotiations. DONOVAN