U.S.-JAPAN-ROK POLICY PLANNING TRILATERAL, SESSION

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002714

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/15/2021
TAGS: EAID UNSC PHUM KS CH RS JA
SUBJECT: U.S.-JAPAN-ROK POLICY PLANNING TRILATERAL, SESSION
6: INTERNATIONAL INSTITUTIONS, PROMOTION OF DEMOCRACY AND
GOOD GOVERNANCE

REF: A. TOKYO 2663


B. TOKYO 2664

C. TOKYO 2665 (NOTAL)

D. TOKYO 2654

E. TOKYO 6666

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires, a.i., Joe Donovan for Reasons 1.4(b,d
)


1. (C) Summary: During the May 12 U.S.-Japan-ROK Policy
Planning discussion, South Korea DFM Park In-Kook expressed
concern over the conditionalities the Millennium Challenge
Corporation (MCC) places on recipient governments. Japan
DVFM Masaharu Kohno observed that elections were key to the
development of liberal democratic institutions and suggested
that U.S. leadership is essential. Japanese Embassy
Political Minister Nobukatsu Kanehara offered that the
development of a strong middle class is also a key element.
On UNSC reform, the ROK was interested in U.S. views on the
HRC and U.N. interventions post-Annan, while Japan's
interests were mainly on reform of the Security Council. End
Summary.


2. (C) During the sixth and final session of the
U.S.-Japan-ROK Policy Planning Trilateral meeting on May 12,
S/P Director Stephen D. Krasner, Japan's Deputy Vice Foreign
Minister Masaharu Kohno and Korean Deputy Minister for Policy
Planning and International Organizations Park In-Kook
discussed "International Institutions, Promotion of Democracy
and Good Governance, and UN Reform." In response to
Krasner's opening remarks, DM Park expressed skepticism that
the U.S. Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC) is the most
effective way to approach the problem of good governance. At
issue, according to Park, are the "conditionalities" MCC
places on recipient governments. It is not "noble" to link
the "cause of democracy" explicitly to "money." The concept
of "good governance" is difficult to understand. Further,
the use of "conditionality" raises questions about
interference in domestic affairs. The international
community, he suggested, should look for a more "face-saving,
subtle" ways to package and export good governance. For
example, membership in the EU is voluntary, contingent upon
demonstrating adherence to certain principles.
"Voluntariness" is a better way to elicit good governance,
Park stated. Krasner defended the MCC, which provides aid to
countries that have shown what they have accomplished rather
than what they have promised to do, based on criteria
assessed by non-U.S. Government international groups. The
lesson of international financial institutions - most notably
the World Bank - is that dumping aid into countries with poor
internal governance leads to waste. The conditionalities of
the MCC, he continued, create an incentive for sustained
improvement.


3. (C) DVFM Kohno and Nobukatsu Kanehara, Political Minister
in Japan's Embassy in Washington, agreed with Krasner's
observation that free and fair elections and liberal
institutions are key to the development of liberal democracy.
Commenting on Krasner's suggestion that elections serve as
one mechanism of accountability, and that institutions such
as an independent judiciary are necessary to defend the
citizenry's basic rights from the encroachment of the state,
Kohno observed that the development of a social security net
and subsequent development of a strong middle class are
essential to the development of democracies. In both
Thailand and the Philippines, for example, the growth in the
middle class over the last two decades is partly the reason
for widespread public support for democracy, as seen through
the election of its current leaders, according to Kohno. In
the Middle East, pending the development of a strong economic
middle class, one needs to create a social security net.
Without a strong middle class, democracies could never grow
and take root.


4. (C) There is a strong link between development and
democracy, Kanehara continued. Those countries that succeed
in opening up also succeed in democracy. Opening up, in
Kanehara's view, will require "leadership from the United
States," as was demonstrated under President Roosevelt's New
Deal, in order to show a "vision for what the world can be
like in 100 years" if we embrace democracy and democratic
institutions. If not, we risk the emergence of more
"traditional" leaders or groups like Hezbollah leading
"anti-U.S., anti-modernity" movements. Krasner responded
that the international community needs to work together to
structure a set of voluntary agreements that can support
liberal institutions even in countries without high levels of
development or money. Krasner closed on an optimistic note,


emphasizing that within the next few generations, we could be
witness to a world of democratic states.


5. (C) Turning to U.N. reform, Park asked for Krasner's
"initial observations" of the Human Rights Council, alluding
to United States opposition to the formation of that entity.
Krasner offered that the United States is "hopeful" that the
new structure will work effectively despite not having
accepted any conditions for membership such as excluding
countries that had been sanctioned by the UNSC. The United
States will continue to observe how the HRC develops, he
added. Kanehara briefly mentioned the important role
democratic countries could play on the Security Council in
countering the Russia-China "alliance," which sometimes
competes with our interests and values as democratic nations.
Krasner reiterated U.S. Government support for a Japanese
permanent seat on the UN Security Council, noting that our
main challenge now is figuring out a mutually acceptable path
toward achieving that outcome. The ROK also supports UNSC
reform, said Park (without commenting on Japan's bid for a
permanent UNSC seat). Park asked for Krasner's view on
support for UN intervention following Secretary General
Annan's reference to ideas like the responsibility to
protect. Krasner cautioned that UN actions such as in Darfur
must be coupled with an understanding that countries must put
its soldiers at risk, something most have been unwilling to
do. In Darfur, for instance, the United States would happily
accept more support from willing countries.


6. (U) Participants in the meeting included:

United States
--------------

Stephen D. Krasner, Director, Policy Planning Staff
Evan Feigenbaum, S/P Member Member
Ann Kambara, Labor Counsellor, Embassy Tokyo
Marc Shaw, Political Officer, Embassy Tokyo (notetaker)
David Wolff, Political Officer, Embassy Tokyo

Japan
--------------

Masaharu Kohno, MOFA Vice-Minister for Foreign Policy
Yoshihisa Endo, Deputy Director General, Foreign Policy Bureau
Nobukatsu Kanehara, Minister, Embassy of Japan (Washington)
Koji Tomita, Minister, Embassy of Japan (Korea)
Hiroshi Kawamura, MOFA Director, Policy Planning Division
Shinobu Yamaguchi, MOFA Policy Planning Division

ROK
---

In-Kook Park, Deputy Minister for Policy Planning and
International Organizations, Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MOFAT)
Sang-Mo Yeon, Minister Counselor, ROK Embassy (Tokyo)
Choong-Hee Hahn, Director, North America Division I, MOFAT
Song Oh, Director, Policy Planning and Coordination Division,
MOFAT
Ki-Woong Kim, Director, Inter-Korean Policy Division
Ki-Jun Park, Deputy Director for North-East Asia Division II,
MOFAT
Young-Kyu Park, Deputy Director for Policy Planning and
Coordination Division, MOFAT

(U) S/P Director Krasner cleared this message.
DONOVAN