ROK FM BAN KI-MOON'S MEETINGS WITH FM ASO, CCS ABE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004547 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/11/2016 TAGS: PREL PGOV KN JA SUBJECT: ROK FM BAN KI-MOON'S MEETINGS WITH FM ASO, CCS ABE Classified By: Ambassador J.Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. During August 8-9 meetings with Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe and Foreign Minister Taro Aso, ROK Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon urged his interlocutors to emphasize dialogue with the DPRK, not pressure. Abe and Aso both responded that pressure was needed to produce dialogue. Abe said Japan would pursue bringing the DPRK back to the Six-Party Talks as soon as possible without conditions. Neither side raised sovereignty issues associated with the Liancourt Rocks, but each agreed on the need to establish a prior notification system that would permit maritime scientific research. Aso refrained from offering an explicit endorsement of Ban's UN SYG candidacy. Contrary to Japanese media reports, MOFA assured us that Ban did not ask Abe to stop visiting Yasukuni Shrine. End Summary. Meetings Follow Funeral -------------- ¶2. (U) On August 10, MOFA Northeast Asia Deputy Director Mari Akiyama briefed Embassy Tokyo political officer on ROK FM Ban Ki-moon's August 8-9 visit to Tokyo. Following the August 8 state funeral for former Japanese prime minister Ryutaro Hashimoto, Foreign Minister Taro Aso hosted ROK Foreign Minister Ban at a two-hour working dinner. The following morning, Ban met for 40 minutes with Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe. During the two meetings, Ban discussed: 1) Japan-ROK relations, 2) recent developments regarding North Korea, 3) scientific maritime research in the Sea of Japan, including areas surrounding the Liancourt Rocks, 4) (with Aso) the election of the next UN SYG, and 5) (with Abe) the North Korean abductions issue. Japan-ROK Relations -------------- ¶3. (C) FM Ban, drawing attention to his four previous meetings with FM Aso, expressed appreciation for the fact that the two men could now talk easily, Akiyama related. The ROK hoped that Aso would take a leadership role in making Japan-ROK relations "future oriented." Aso agreed to do so. Drawing on similar points delivered the previous day to FM Aso, in his meeting with CCS Abe, the ROK foreign minister expressed regret that relations between the two countries had become difficult because of historical problems. South Korea hoped that CCS Abe would play an important role in developing better Japan-ROK relations. Akiyama denied media reports that FM Ban asked Abe to stop visiting Yasukuni Shrine. North Korea -------------- ¶4. (C) North-South relations were very difficult, FM Ban told Foreign Minister Aso, according to Akiyama. It would be important to put pressure on North Korea to force compliance with UNSCR 1695. However, a path should be left open for dialogue as well. It is important not to do things that would "force" the DPRK to take measures that would aggravate the situation, Ban had stressed. North Korea should be approached with a combination of pressure and dialogue, he had suggested, but emphasizing dialogue, not pressure. Ban also assured Aso that South Korea would fully implement UNSCR ¶1695. ¶5. (C) Japan does not seek to close the path to dialogue, Aso had responded, but there should be a balance between the two. "Pressure is necessary to make dialogue effective." "If there is no pressure, there will be no dialogue," he stated ¶6. (C) Noting the importance of cooperation between the U.S., Japan, and ROK, CCS Abe told FM Ban that Japan would pursue efforts to bring the DPRK back to the Six-Party Talks without conditions and at the earliest possible time, Akiyama said. Based on UNSCR 1695, Japan will implement measures to prevent the North's illicit money transfers. Japan would not close the door on dialogue with North Korea, but pressure was needed in order to get a positive, good faith reaction from the Kim Jong-il regime, Abe asserted. Ban said he appreciated the message that the international community sent to North Korea via UNSCR 1695. The ROK will faithfully implement UNSCR 1695, while also keeping the door to dialogue open. On the issue of DPRK abductions, Ban and Abe agreed on the importance of maintaining close cooperation on the issue, according to Akiyama. Maritime Research -------------- ¶7. (C) FM Aso argued that the two countries need a prior-notification system that would permit maritime scientific research in their disputed EEZs, Akiyama reported. Japan wanted to conclude such an agreement so its vessels could conduct surveys while avoiding the problems encountered in April 2006. (Note: Bilateral tensions rose sharply in April when Japan announced a plan to conduct a bathymetric survey in a zone that lies between their contested EEZs.) Noting that the ROK is aware of the need to maintain maritime order, Ban agreed that rules to permit such surveys were needed. Contrary to Japanese media reports, Akiyama continued, FM Ban and CCS Abe did not directly address sovereignty issues associated with the Liancourt Rocks. In his meeting, Abe repeated Japan's position on the importance of constructing a mechanism for cooperation on scientific research. The ROK minister relayed his thanks for the role Abe played during the "so-called tension" that occurred in April. UN SYG Election -------------- ¶8. (C) FM Ban, noting the critical role Japan would likely play in the next UN SYG election, asked for Japan's support for his candidacy, Akiyama stated. FM Aso repeated Japan's position that the next SYG should be elected from Asia. However, Japan's support for a UN SYG candidate would take into account "various elements," he noted, remaining noncommittal on Ban's candidacy. SCHIEFFER