Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
06TOKYO772
2006-02-13 08:34:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
how-toVZCZCXYZ0003 OO RUEHWEB DE RUEHKO #0772 0440834 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 130834Z FEB 06 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 8573 INFO RUEHGG/UN SECURITY COUNCIL PRIORITY RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1146 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0311 RUEHNE/AMEMBASSY NEW DELHI PRIORITY 7884 RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 8812
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000772
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2026
TAGS: PREL UNSC JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DVFM KONO ON UN REFORM
REF: A. GIBBONS-DONOVAN 02-10-2006 E-MAIL
B. TOKYO 707
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d)
.
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000772
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2026
TAGS: PREL UNSC JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DVFM KONO ON UN REFORM
REF: A. GIBBONS-DONOVAN 02-10-2006 E-MAIL
B. TOKYO 707
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d)
.
1. (C) Deputy Vice Foreign Minister Masaharu Kono told DCM
Donovan on February 10 that UNSC reform, specifically
trilateral support of Japan's "Option C," was one area on
which Japan, India and the United Sates could work together.
While India currently is "skeptical" about Japan,s Option C,
it is ready to discuss the model in depth, Kono advised.
United States involvement in the process would be key, the
Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized, because India is
"susceptible" to U.S. views. In response to the DCM,s
reiteration of continued U.S. support for Japan,s bid for a
permanent UN Security Council seat, DVFM Kono stressed that
this issue was of the "highest priority" for the Japanese
government. Expressing concern that he had been
misunderstood or misquoted during his meeting with Deputy
National Security Advisor Crouch (ref b),Kono emphasized
that he had stressed to Crouch that securing a permanent
membership on the Security Council is one of his government's
"highest priority policy issues."
2. (C) Reminded by the DCM of the importance placed by the
United States on other UN reform issues -- the Human Rights
Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and management reform
(ref a) -- DVFM Kono commented that "there is no
misunderstanding between the U.S. and Japan; both should work
together" on all these issues. On the Human Rights
Council, Japan is flexible about the number of members, he
noted. Regarding the Peacebuilding Commission, DVFM Kono had
no comment other than saying he hoped Japan could gain
membership. On management reform, Kono explained that
Ambassador Takase was currently en route to New York
(February 10) and that Takase would continue to work with his
U.S. counterpart there. Japan, he reminded, had taken the
initiative to propose a number of management reforms and
would continue to work closely with the United States. Kono
stressed that Japan would like to "synchronize" these broader
UN reforms with Security Council reform. UN reform would
"not be complete" without Security Council reform, DVFM Kono
stated. He hoped the United States and Japan could come up
with "something positive" on UNSC reform on which to work
together.
3. (C) Separately, Kono expressed surprise when told by the
DCM that the United States is not looking at a June/July
timeframe for deciding SYG Annan's successor, saying that was
not what he had understood from Ambassador Bolton.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/10/2026
TAGS: PREL UNSC JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN: DVFM KONO ON UN REFORM
REF: A. GIBBONS-DONOVAN 02-10-2006 E-MAIL
B. TOKYO 707
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan. Reason: 1.4 (b)(d)
.
1. (C) Deputy Vice Foreign Minister Masaharu Kono told DCM
Donovan on February 10 that UNSC reform, specifically
trilateral support of Japan's "Option C," was one area on
which Japan, India and the United Sates could work together.
While India currently is "skeptical" about Japan,s Option C,
it is ready to discuss the model in depth, Kono advised.
United States involvement in the process would be key, the
Deputy Foreign Minister emphasized, because India is
"susceptible" to U.S. views. In response to the DCM,s
reiteration of continued U.S. support for Japan,s bid for a
permanent UN Security Council seat, DVFM Kono stressed that
this issue was of the "highest priority" for the Japanese
government. Expressing concern that he had been
misunderstood or misquoted during his meeting with Deputy
National Security Advisor Crouch (ref b),Kono emphasized
that he had stressed to Crouch that securing a permanent
membership on the Security Council is one of his government's
"highest priority policy issues."
2. (C) Reminded by the DCM of the importance placed by the
United States on other UN reform issues -- the Human Rights
Council, the Peacebuilding Commission and management reform
(ref a) -- DVFM Kono commented that "there is no
misunderstanding between the U.S. and Japan; both should work
together" on all these issues. On the Human Rights
Council, Japan is flexible about the number of members, he
noted. Regarding the Peacebuilding Commission, DVFM Kono had
no comment other than saying he hoped Japan could gain
membership. On management reform, Kono explained that
Ambassador Takase was currently en route to New York
(February 10) and that Takase would continue to work with his
U.S. counterpart there. Japan, he reminded, had taken the
initiative to propose a number of management reforms and
would continue to work closely with the United States. Kono
stressed that Japan would like to "synchronize" these broader
UN reforms with Security Council reform. UN reform would
"not be complete" without Security Council reform, DVFM Kono
stated. He hoped the United States and Japan could come up
with "something positive" on UNSC reform on which to work
together.
3. (C) Separately, Kono expressed surprise when told by the
DCM that the United States is not looking at a June/July
timeframe for deciding SYG Annan's successor, saying that was
not what he had understood from Ambassador Bolton.
SCHIEFFER