Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO3077
2006-06-05 09:45:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNSC BURMA RESOLUTION

Tags:  PREL PHUM UNSC BM CH JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO7561
OO RUEHCHI RUEHDT RUEHNH RUEHPB
DE RUEHKO #3077/01 1560945
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 050945Z JUN 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2854
INFO RUCNARF/ASEAN REGIONAL FORUM COLLECTIVE
RUEHTH/AMEMBASSY ATHENS 0077
RUEHSL/AMEMBASSY BRATISLAVA 0060
RUEHBU/AMEMBASSY BUENOS AIRES 0111
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN 0505
RUEHDR/AMEMBASSY DAR ES SALAAM 0254
RUEHDO/AMEMBASSY DOHA 0192
RUEHKI/AMEMBASSY KINSHASA 0059
RUEHPE/AMEMBASSY LIMA 0378
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1516
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 4940
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK 0598
RUYNAAC/COMNAVFORJAPAN YOKOSUKA JA
RHMFISS/COMUSJAPAN YOKOTA AB JA
RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003077 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2031
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM CH JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNSC BURMA RESOLUTION

REF: STATE 88973

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reasons:1.4(b/d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003077

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/05/2031
TAGS: PREL PHUM UNSC BM CH JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED: UNSC BURMA RESOLUTION

REF: STATE 88973

Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reasons:1.4(b/d).


1. (C) Summary: In response to the DCM's demarche urging
support for U.S. efforts to pursue a UN Security Council
resolution on the situation in Burma, MOFA DVFM Kohno stated:

-- Japan shares U.S. concerns over human rights violations
and for the lack of progress toward democratic reforms;

-- Continued engagement with the Burmese regime is needed to
encourage such reform;

-- Growing frustration with the situation in Burma has led
Japan to consider the need to apply additional pressure on
the regime;

-- Japan will consider very seriously the U.S. proposal for a
UNSC resolution; and

-- The Japanese UN Ambassador's recent comments regarding
UNSC steps on Burma were not a complete reflection of the
Japanese position.

End Summary.


2. (C) On June 5 the DCM conveyed reftel demarche to MOFA
Deputy Vice Minister for Foreign Policy Masaharu Kohno.
Stressing U.S. disappointment with Japan's statement in the
discussion following U/SGY Gambari's briefing on Burma in
which Japan opposed any further Council action, the DCM urged
Japan to reconsider its position and to support U.S. efforts
to pass a resolution on Burma.

Japan Shares U.S. Concerns
--------------


3. (C) DVM Kohno stated that he had anticipated the U.S.
demarche and had prepared a few points in response. First,
Kohno wanted to underscore that Japan shares U.S. concerns
for the lack of democracy and for human rights violations in
Burma. Particularly troubling, he noted, was the slowness of
the political process in moving toward democracy, which has
led to Japan's increasing frustration with the situation.
Secondly, Kohno emphasized the importance of continuing
engagement with the Burmese regime. The involvement of NGOs,
human rights activists, ASEAN, and the UN are all important
in the effort to enlighten the Burmese junta on the need for
change. In that regard, PM Koizumi had sent a strongly
worded message to Burma leader Than Shwe earlier in the year.

Although Japan had not received a response and there had
been no tangible progress toward democracy in Burma, Kohno
insisted it is important to keep the door open.

Growing Frustration
--------------


4. (C) Given the lack of progress in Burma, Kohno
continued, Japan has come to believe that additional outside
pressure may be needed this year. Japan appreciates the U.S.
proposal and believes that the time has come for UNSC
consideration of the situation in Burma, he stated. Kohno
said he had initiated an internal discussion within MOFA on
how to deal with Burma and would give the U.S. proposal every
consideration. For his own part, Kohno said he is inclined
to cooperate with the U.S. approach. However, the long
history of close relations between Japan and Burma meant that
a number of Japanese political leaders with a strong interest
in Burma will have to be consulted. The matter needs to be
discussed thoroughly within MOFA and vetted with FM Aso and,
likely, also with PM Koizumi. Saying he did not want to
mislead the United States, Kohno noted that Japan may
eventually determine it could only support a chairman's
statement or some form of response other than a resolution,
but such a decision would come later. In any event, Japan
will take the U.S. proposal very seriously and keep in close

TOKYO 00003077 002 OF 002


contact on this issue, he stated.

Need to Take the Right Approach
--------------


5. (C) Noting that Burmese leaders were especially
sensitive to pressure by the international community, Kohno
advised against taking an unnecessarily provocative approach
at the UNSC. He suggested that given the Burmese leaders'
strong antipathy toward opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi,
associating the proposed UNSC resolution with her birthday
would not be efficacious. Kohno said that it was his view
that offering some measure of encouragement would be the best
way of inducing the regime to move toward the needed reforms.


Ambassador's Comments Not Definitive
--------------


6. (C) Kohno suggested that Ambassador Kenzo Oshima's
statement in the UNSC might have led to a misunderstanding of
Japan's position on Burma. Kohno said we should not take
Oshima's statement that Burma did not pose a threat to
international peace and security as the definitive Japanese
position, asserting that Japan would not ignore the many
problems posed by the Burmese regime, including transnational
problems of disease and crime as well as growing problems
with human rights and refugees. Asian Affairs Bureau First
Southeast Asia Division Director Hideaki Mizukoshi added that
the U.S. proposal had taken Ambassador Oshima by surprise and
that he did not have sufficient time to frame a considered
response. Without going into detail, Kohno underscored that
while Japan might have appeared to line up with China in the
Council's May 31 discussion following U/SYG Gambari's
briefing, Oshima's comments were of a different nature than
China's comments on Burma. He insisted that Japan does not
share the PRC position on Burma.
SCHIEFFER