ABDUCTION ISSUE: STRONG SHOW OF U.S./INTERNATIONAL

UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 04 TOKYO 003138 SIPDIS SENSITIVE SIPDIS E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PHUM PREL RS KS KN CH JA SUBJECT: ABDUCTION ISSUE: STRONG SHOW OF U.S./INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT AT KANTEI GATHERING ¶1. (SBU) SUMMARY: Ambassador Schieffer and representatives from 18 other countries voiced strong support for resolution of the DPRK abduction issue at a June 6 meeting hosted by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Suzuki. Chief Cabinet Secretary ABE addressed the start of the meeting, stressing SIPDIS the importance of international cooperation to resolve the issue. Suzuki, who chairs Japan's Special Team for the Abduction Issue, described the status of the abduction cases and gave an overview of Japan's efforts to resolve the issue through direct bilateral negotiations with the DPRK. Suzuki highlighted the contribution of Ambassador Schieffer's trip to Niigata and the President's Oval Office meeting with abductee family members. In his remarks, Ambassador Schieffer said the United States is offering any help it can to bring the abductors to justice and the abductees home. END SUMMARY. A STRONG SHOW OF INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT -------------- ¶2. (SBU) Ambassador Schieffer and ambassadors (or their representatives) from 18 other countries participated in a two-hour discussion session at the Kantei on June 6, 2006 chaired by Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary (DCCS) Seiji Suzuki. (Participants list at para 9). CCS ABE MAKES AN APPEARANCE BEFORE THE CAMERAS -------------- - ¶3. (SBU) Chief Cabinet Secretary (CCS) SHINZO ABE addressed the start of the meeting and posed for a group photograph. Abe said abductions are impermissible human rights violations and that strong support from the international community is essential to resolving the issue. Efforts within the United Nations system, such as the General Assembly resolution of December 2005 expressing "deep concern" over the abduction issue, were one way to address the problem. Japan would also like to see the issue addressed in the upcoming G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg, ABE added. JAPAN'S EFFORTS TO BUILD INTERNATIONAL SUPPORT -------------- - ¶4. (SBU) DCCS Suzuki, who chairs Japan's Special Team for the Abduction Issue, described the status of the abduction cases and gave an overview of Japan's efforts to resolve the issue through direct bilateral negotiations with the DPRK. Suzuki explained he had assumed chairmanship of the Cabinet's Committee for the Abduction Issue (formerly chaired by then DCCS Abe) issue in September 2005. Since then the committee has been renamed the "Special Team for the Abduction Issue" reflecting the fact that it has been enlarged to include all agencies of the Japanese government, with the exception of the Imperial Household Agency, Suzuki explained. He had also set up two new sub-groups in 2006 designed to strengthen related law enforcement and intelligence efforts. Further, in 2006 the Japanese government had launched a new and more TOKYO 00003138 002 OF 004 robust public relations campaign that includes posters and pamphlets distributed in many languages to raise international awareness of the abduction issue. ¶5. (SBU) Turning to Japan's efforts to enhance international cooperation on the issue, Suzuki stated that Japan's basic policy is that: 1) there can be no solution without a comprehensive resolution; and 2) Japan will work to gain support from the international community through various fora, including the UN and G-8. Suzuki stated that DNA testing in both Japan and the ROK reveals that South Korean abductee Kim Yong Nam is almost certainly the father of Megumi Yokota's child (Note: The DPRK government denies this assertion, maintaining that one of its citizens is the father). He further stated that testimony from other abductees and several North Korean defectors has revealed that citizens from other countries have also been abducted by the DPRK (Note: Representatives of those governments were included in the meeting). Suzuki highlighted the importance of Ambassador Schieffer's March 2006 trip to Niigata and the President's April 2006 meeting with Mrs. Yokota and other abductee family members in the Oval Office, citing those events as important contributions by the United States toward the effort of raising international awareness of, and concern for, the issue. SUPPORT VOICED BY AMBASSADORS AND THEIR REPRESENTATIVES -------------- -------------- ¶6. (SBU) In the final portion of the meeting, DCCS Suzuki opened the floor to the diplomats for discussion. By mutual consent of all in attendance, these comments are not for public attribution. Ambassador Schieffer thanked the Japanese organizers for arranging the gathering. He noted that while countries disagree at times on political or economic issues, human rights concerns like abduction rise above such concerns and must be addressed by the global community. "We cannot claim to live in a civilized world if we allow abductions to occur," the Ambassador said, adding that is why the United States is offering any help it can to bring the abductors to justice and the abductees home. In his remarks to the press following the meeting, the Ambassador noted that having different ambassadors there to offer their ideas and express their support was a very positive thing. He said they had discussed ideas for bringing more attention to the issue, including a willingness to raise the issue at the G-8. ¶7. (SBU) Russian Ambassador Losyukov joined the rest of the group in "absolutely supporting the unanimous opinion of outrage." Drawing on his long experience in dealing with North Korea, he advised a less emotional and more practical approach. He noted that Pyongyang would not respond well to pressure, warning that pressure tactics by Japan were more likely to result in things "you don't want." He said Prime Minister Koizumi has the right to raise the issue at the upcoming G-8 Summit in St. Petersburg. (Note: In his closing TOKYO 00003138 003 OF 004 remarks, DCCS Suzuki made specific mention of Losyukov's comment on the G-8, noting that he himself planned to travel to St. Petersburg where he looked forward to working on the issue with the Russian hosts). ¶8. Comments by other representative included the following: -- SOUTH KOREA: Minister Kim expressed the ROK's desire to find a "wise way" to address the issue with the North. He noted, however, that South Korea is the "biggest victim" of abductions and is "very sympathetic" about the issue. North Korea agreed at the April 2006 North-South Ministerial to address the issue "in a meaningful way," Kim said, explaining that the ROKG therefore intends to follow up by utilizing Red Cross talks in June and the next N-S Ministerial in July to press North Korea to fulfill that promise. -- CANADA: Ambassador Caron (a former Canadian ambassador to the DPRK) regretted that troubling actions by Pyongyang had resulted in a diminishment of Canada's diplomatic relations with the DPRK. He said his foreign minister has gone on record that abductions constitute "unacceptable behavior by states" and that a solution is needed. He observed that Prime Minister Koizumi would be visiting Ottawa this summer where the issue would no doubt be discussed. -- The UNITED KINGDOM: Ambassador Fry said the abductions were an "indication of how North Korea completely ignores human rights." He noted the issue had been raised at the G-8 Summit at Gleneagles and that Britain had raised the matter when it last held the presidency of the EU. The UK will continue to look for what more it can do on this issue, he said. -- GERMANY: Minister Fischer cited how the reunification of Germany had ended human rights violations by the then-government of East Germany and said he hoped the Korean people would undergo the same kind of reconciliation. -- SWEDEN: Ambassador Lindstrom said Sweden also "actively seeks to support the reunification of Korea," and that is why his country maintains diplomatic relations with both Seoul and Pyongyang. Sweden supported the UN resolution in December 2005, has raised the abduction issue and other human rights concerns with North Korea at the prime ministerial level, and will continue to press Pyongyang for progress on the issue. -- FRANCE: Counsellor Leval stated that France is working within the UN Human Rights Council to create a "ban on forced dislocations." -- CHINA: PRC Minister-Counsellor KONG made no comment, but took careful notes throughout the meeting. ¶9. (U) Participants List: TOKYO 00003138 004 OF 004 Japanese Participants -------------- Chief Cabinet Secretary SHINZO ABE Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Suzuki Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Masahiro Futahashi Assistant Chief Cabinet Secretary Hiroyasu Ando Parliamentary Secretary of the Cabinet Office Eriko Yamatani Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs Akiko Yamanaka Ambassadors -------------- CANADA H.E. Mr.Joseph CARON IRELAND H.E. Mr.Gerard KEOWN JORDAN H.E. Mr.Samir Issa NAOURI LEBANON H.E. Mr.Toufic JABER THE NETHERLANDS H.E.Mr. Alphons Clemens Maria HAMER POLAND H.E. Dr.Marcin RYBICKI RUSSIA H.E. Mr. Alexander Prokhorovich LOSYUKOV SWEDEN H.E. Mr.Mikael LINDSTROM THAILAND H.E. Mr.Pichai ISRABHAKDI UNITED KINGDOM H.E. Mr.Graham FRY UNITED STATES H.E. Mr.J. Thomas SCHIEFFER Deputy Chiefs of Mission -------------- E.U. Mr.Michael REITERER, Minister/DCM ROK Mr. Yong-Sun KIM, Minister/DCM ROMANIA Mr.Stoian PETRE, Counsellor/DCM Ministers/Counsellors -------------- CHINA Mr. KONG Xuanyou, Minister-Counsellor FRANCE Mr.Henri LEVAL, Counsellor GERMANY Mr. Bernd FISCHER, Minister ITALY Mr.Aldo AMATI, Minister-Counsellor MALAYSIA Mr.Loh Seck TIONG, Counsellor SCHIEFFER