Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO6633
2006-11-20 10:24:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

U/S BURNS MEETING WITH SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR

Tags:  PREL MARR UNSC JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 006633 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2011
TAGS: PREL MARR UNSC JA
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS MEETING WITH SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS KOIKE


Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.4 (b, d).

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 006633

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/20/2011
TAGS: PREL MARR UNSC JA
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS MEETING WITH SPECIAL ADVISOR FOR
NATIONAL SECURITY AFFAIRS KOIKE


Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer, reasons 1.4 (b, d).


1. (C) SUMMARY: Japan welcomes the resumption of the
Six-Party Talks, National Security Advisor Koike told U/S
Burns November 6. The implementation of UNSC Resolution
1718, Japanese economic sanctions, and pressure from China
led North Korea to return to the talks, Koike suggested.
Burns and Koike agreed that it is critical to speak with a
unified voice and that concrete results must emerge from next
round of talks. President Bush's meeting with Prime Minister
Abe and Secretary Rice's meeting with Foreign Minister Aso
and Australian Foreign Minister Downer in Hanoi the following
week would provide two opportunities for the United States
and Japan to coordinate on the talks' agenda. Turning to the
November 10 Okinawa gubernatorial election, Koike said she
was flying to Okinawa later in the date to rally support for
ruling coalition candidate Hirokazu Nakaima and noted it will
be a tight race. END SUMMARY.

North Korea
--------------


2. (C) National Security Advisor Yuriko Koike told Under
Secretary for Political Affairs Nicholas Burns during a

SIPDIS
November 6 meeting that Japan is grateful to the United
States for close coordination on North Korea and said Japan
welcomes the resumption of the Six-Party Talks. The
unanimous adoption of UNSC Resolution 1718, Japan's economic
sanctions on North Korea, and increased pressure form China
helped persuade North Korea to return to the talks, Koike
suggested. Resumption of the talks are not an end in itself;
North Korea must cease nuclear testing and WMD development,
she stated.


3. (C) Japan is our strongest Asian ally, U/S Burns told
Koike, relaying admiration for Prime Minister Abe's
leadership on the North Korean issue. The international
community must speak on the DPRK issue with a unified voice.
Japan and the United States must stand along side each other
with a unified policy, Burns emphasized. Burns shared that
during separate meetings earlier in the day with Chief
Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki, Deputy Foreign Minister

Tsuneo Nishida and Vice Foreign Minister Yachi, he had

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explained that the United States will be attentive to the
abductions issue and will state that support publicly. It is
important to pursue a diplomatic way forward with North Korea
and to make concrete progress in the next round of Six-Party
Talks, but defining progress might be very difficult, Burns
cautioned. The United States will ask China to convey to
North Korea that concrete progress must result from the
talks, Burns said.


4. (C) President Bush's meeting with Prime Minister Abe and
Secretary Rice's meeting with Foreign Minister Aso at the

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upcoming APEC Summit in Hanoi will provide two opportunities
for the United States and Japan to coordinate on the talks'
agenda, Burns noted. Burns dismissed demands from North
Korea that Japan be left out of the talks, stressing that the
talks cannot move forward without Japan. Coordinating with
Australia at APEC is critical, Koike responded, adding that
it is not necessary to hold the talks immediately. Burns
agreed, noting that rushing to the talks could damage the
credibility of the Six-Party process if substantial progress
is not made. The next round of talks will be held in late
November after APEC or in December at the earliest, Burns
said.

China
--------------


5. (C) China changed its attitude toward North Korea
following the nuclear test, U/S Burns observed. Beijing's
support for UNSC Resolution 1718 and its use of unilateral
pressure to sway North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks
signal a foreign policy shift. China understood that North
Korea crossed the line and now realized that a firm response
is necessary. Whether this foreign policy shift will be
sustained and whether it will be closely linked with the U.S.
position are questions we hope to answer during our upcoming
visit to Beijing, U/S Burns said. In addition, Burns and
Koike agreed it is important to strengthen coordination on
China's intellectual property rights (IPR) violations.


TOKYO 00006633 002 OF 002


Okinawa
--------------


6. (C) Turning to the November 19 Okinawa gubernatorial
election, Koike said she was flying to Okinawa later in the
day to support former Okinawa Electric Power Company Chairman
Hirokazu Nakaima, who is backed by the ruling coalition. The
election will be a close call. The outcome is very important
for the United States and Japan because of its impact on
Okinawa base-related issues, Koike said. Ambassador
Schieffer asked Koike whether press polls indicating Nakaima
was leading by only six percent were accurate and commented
that it seems foolish for the opposition to nominate a
candidate who opposes the alliance when the US-Japan alliance
is going so well. Koike responded that a new poll would be
coming out following day. Japanese officials and politicians
must be very careful when discussing sensitive Okinawa base
issues in the press, she remarked.


7. (U) Delegations:

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

R. Nicholas Burns, Under Secretary for Political Affairs

J. Thomas Schieffer, Ambassador, U.S. Embassy
Dr. Victor Cha, NSC Director for NE Asia
Sung Kim, Director, EAP/K
Steven Fagin, Special Assistant to U/S Burns
Mary Wilson, U.S. Embassy (notetaker)
Yoko Yamamoto, Interpreter

Japan
--------------
Yuriko Koike, National Security Advisor
Chikao Kawai, Director General for North American Affairs
Kazuo Umeda, Deputy Director General for Asian Affairs
Interpreter


8. (U) This message has been cleared by U/S Burns.
SCHIEFFER