Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO4920
2006-08-28 22:55:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPANESE MINISTER VISITS LIBYA
how-toVZCZCXRO3389 PP RUEHTRO DE RUEHKO #4920 2402255 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 282255Z AUG 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 5809 INFO RUEHTRO/AMEMBASSY TRIPOLI PRIORITY 0001 RUEHAS/AMEMBASSY ALGIERS 0146 RUEHEG/AMEMBASSY CAIRO 0185 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON 1581 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS 5008 RUEHRB/AMEMBASSY RABAT 0244 RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME 1974 RUEHTU/AMEMBASSY TUNIS 0205
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004920
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM ENRG EAID LY JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MINISTER VISITS LIBYA
Classified By: MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL MESERVE
FOR REASONS 1.4(B),(D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 004920
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM ENRG EAID LY JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MINISTER VISITS LIBYA
Classified By: MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL MESERVE
FOR REASONS 1.4(B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Japanese Minister of Science and Technology
Iwao Matsuda visited Libya August 13-22 where he met with a
number of officials including Libyan Leader Muammar Qadhafi
on August 16. Matsuda congratulated Qadhafi for Libya's
decision to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Qadhafi
replied that Libya was encouraging the DPRK to follow Libya's
lead, but that Tripoli expected more international
recognition for its actions than it has received. Matsuda
informed Qadhafi that Libya is eligible to receive technical
assistance from Japan but, due to Libya's wealth, it does not
qualify under Japanese law to receive yen loans or grant aid.
Qadhafi pressed Matsuda to have Japan urge other G-8 nations
to extend further aid and assistance to Libya. Matsuda's
visit to Libya was the first ever by a Japanese minister.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Embassy Tokyo Political Officer called on MOFA
Libya/Algeria desk officer Yoshinori Keino on August 23 to
obtain a readout of Minister Matsuda's visit to Libya. Keino
reported that both Libya and Japan considered this to be an
important visit, noting that it was the first ever by a
Japanese minister to Libya. (NOTE: Matsuda was dispatched to
Libya by Prime Minister Koizumi as part of a program to have
a number of ministers visit countries this summer that Japan
has never before visited at high levels. END NOTE.)
According to Keino, Matsuda was received by an impressive
number of high-ranking Libyan officials, including Leader
Qadhafi, Secretary of the General People's Committee Dr.
Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi, Secretary of the General
People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International
Cooperation Abdulrahman Mohamed Shalgam, Secretary of the
General People's Committee for the Workforce, Training, and
Equipment Matuq Mohamed Matuq, Mr. Mohamed Al-Taher Hamouda
Siala, Dr. Shukri Mohamed Ghanemi, Mr. Suliman Sassi
Al-Shahoumi, and Mr. Abdulhafid M. Zlitni.
3. (C) During his meeting with Qadhafi, Matsuda
congratulated him for Libya's decision to renounce and
dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Qadhafi replied that
Libya is urging other countries, including North Korea, to
follow its lead, but complained it has not received the
recognition it expects from the international community for
its actions and continuing efforts. He urged Japan to do
more both with regard to providing Libya with direct
assistance and also to encourage other G-8 countries to do
more to help Libya. Concerning specific assistance sought
from Japan, Libya is interested in cooperation in the fields
of solar power and peaceful uses of nuclear power, including
water desalinization and nuclear medicine. The Libyans are
also interested in Japanese assistance in the oil and gas
sectors. Keino said that last October a Japanese company,
the "New Japanese Energy Company" was awarded the right to
explore for oil in five or six blocks in Libya.
4. (C) According to Keino, Matsuda told the Libyans that
Japan will do what it can to encourage other nations to
cooperate more robustly with Libya. As for Japan, Libya has
been placed on the OECD Development Assistance Committee's
list of eligible countries and as such is qualified to
receive Official Development Assistance from Tokyo. However,
due to Libya's relative wealth, Libya is not eligible under
Japanese law to receive yen loans or grants. Japanese
assistance must therefore be limited to technical assistance
such as job training for civil servants and other Libyan
government employees. Keino reported that the Libyans are
not happy with this and continued to press Matsuda for grant
aid. Consultations will be held this year to determine which
projects Japan will be able to assist Libya with, and the
assistance should commence sometime next year.
5. (C) Keino remarked that next year marks the fiftieth
anniversary of Japanese-Libyan diplomatic relations and said
that during Matsuda's visit mutual invitations were extended
for head of state visits to commemorate this event. Both
sides were non-committal on whether such visits will take
place.
6. Minimize considered.
DONOVAN
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/24/2016
TAGS: PREL PARM ENRG EAID LY JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE MINISTER VISITS LIBYA
Classified By: MINISTER COUNSELOR FOR POLITICAL AFFAIRS MICHAEL MESERVE
FOR REASONS 1.4(B),(D)
1. (C) SUMMARY: Japanese Minister of Science and Technology
Iwao Matsuda visited Libya August 13-22 where he met with a
number of officials including Libyan Leader Muammar Qadhafi
on August 16. Matsuda congratulated Qadhafi for Libya's
decision to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Qadhafi
replied that Libya was encouraging the DPRK to follow Libya's
lead, but that Tripoli expected more international
recognition for its actions than it has received. Matsuda
informed Qadhafi that Libya is eligible to receive technical
assistance from Japan but, due to Libya's wealth, it does not
qualify under Japanese law to receive yen loans or grant aid.
Qadhafi pressed Matsuda to have Japan urge other G-8 nations
to extend further aid and assistance to Libya. Matsuda's
visit to Libya was the first ever by a Japanese minister.
END SUMMARY.
2. (C) Embassy Tokyo Political Officer called on MOFA
Libya/Algeria desk officer Yoshinori Keino on August 23 to
obtain a readout of Minister Matsuda's visit to Libya. Keino
reported that both Libya and Japan considered this to be an
important visit, noting that it was the first ever by a
Japanese minister to Libya. (NOTE: Matsuda was dispatched to
Libya by Prime Minister Koizumi as part of a program to have
a number of ministers visit countries this summer that Japan
has never before visited at high levels. END NOTE.)
According to Keino, Matsuda was received by an impressive
number of high-ranking Libyan officials, including Leader
Qadhafi, Secretary of the General People's Committee Dr.
Al-Baghdadi Ali Al-Mahmoudi, Secretary of the General
People's Committee for Foreign Liaison and International
Cooperation Abdulrahman Mohamed Shalgam, Secretary of the
General People's Committee for the Workforce, Training, and
Equipment Matuq Mohamed Matuq, Mr. Mohamed Al-Taher Hamouda
Siala, Dr. Shukri Mohamed Ghanemi, Mr. Suliman Sassi
Al-Shahoumi, and Mr. Abdulhafid M. Zlitni.
3. (C) During his meeting with Qadhafi, Matsuda
congratulated him for Libya's decision to renounce and
dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Qadhafi replied that
Libya is urging other countries, including North Korea, to
follow its lead, but complained it has not received the
recognition it expects from the international community for
its actions and continuing efforts. He urged Japan to do
more both with regard to providing Libya with direct
assistance and also to encourage other G-8 countries to do
more to help Libya. Concerning specific assistance sought
from Japan, Libya is interested in cooperation in the fields
of solar power and peaceful uses of nuclear power, including
water desalinization and nuclear medicine. The Libyans are
also interested in Japanese assistance in the oil and gas
sectors. Keino said that last October a Japanese company,
the "New Japanese Energy Company" was awarded the right to
explore for oil in five or six blocks in Libya.
4. (C) According to Keino, Matsuda told the Libyans that
Japan will do what it can to encourage other nations to
cooperate more robustly with Libya. As for Japan, Libya has
been placed on the OECD Development Assistance Committee's
list of eligible countries and as such is qualified to
receive Official Development Assistance from Tokyo. However,
due to Libya's relative wealth, Libya is not eligible under
Japanese law to receive yen loans or grants. Japanese
assistance must therefore be limited to technical assistance
such as job training for civil servants and other Libyan
government employees. Keino reported that the Libyans are
not happy with this and continued to press Matsuda for grant
aid. Consultations will be held this year to determine which
projects Japan will be able to assist Libya with, and the
assistance should commence sometime next year.
5. (C) Keino remarked that next year marks the fiftieth
anniversary of Japanese-Libyan diplomatic relations and said
that during Matsuda's visit mutual invitations were extended
for head of state visits to commemorate this event. Both
sides were non-committal on whether such visits will take
place.
6. Minimize considered.
DONOVAN