Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TELAVIV320
2007-01-29 15:56:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
LIVNI IN TOKYO: NEW MIDDLE EAST, TRILATERAL
how-toVZCZCXRO1509 RR RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #0320/01 0291556 ZNY CCCCC ZZH R 291556Z JAN 07 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9108 INFO RUEHXK/ARAB ISRAELI COLLECTIVE RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0423
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000320
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM EAIR JA IS
SUBJECT: LIVNI IN TOKYO: NEW MIDDLE EAST, TRILATERAL
ASSISTANCE WITH MODERATES, AND NO ARMS TO CHINA
REF: TOKYO 0356
Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Sievers; Reasons 1.4 (B and D).
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TEL AVIV 000320
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM EAIR JA IS
SUBJECT: LIVNI IN TOKYO: NEW MIDDLE EAST, TRILATERAL
ASSISTANCE WITH MODERATES, AND NO ARMS TO CHINA
REF: TOKYO 0356
Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Sievers; Reasons 1.4 (B and D).
1. (C) Summary: According to both the Japanese Embassy and
Israeli MFA, FM Livni used her January 17-18 visit to Japan
to outline her views on the current situation in the Middle
East and stress the importance of opposing Iran and
supporting moderates (including Palestinian President Abbas).
She also asked Japan to consider trilateral aid projects to
bring Israel and the moderate Muslim states closer together.
PM Abe expressed strong concerns over Israeli arms sales to
China; the Japanese said Livni replied that no significant
arms sales will take place in the near future. Livni was
unable to obtain landing rights for El Al in Tokyo. End
summary.
-------------- -
Strengthening Moderates in the New Middle East
-------------- -
2. (C) Reading from the Tokyo reports, the Japanese Embassy
told us that Livni had explained her view of new realities in
the Middle East, specifically the confrontation between
moderates and extremists. In her meeting with PM Abe, she
maintained that moderate Arab states share many of Israel's
concerns -- especially about Iran -- but cannot publicly
admit it without progress on the formation of a Palestinian
state. She told FM Aso that a failure by the international
community to confront Iran would force moderate Arab states
into acquiescence with Tehran's drive for hegemony for their
own safety. Livni also called any attempt to engage Syria
"naive and wrong," because talks would boost Asad without
obtaining concrete results.
3. (C) According to the Japanese, Livni urged her hosts to
strengthen Palestinian President Abbas. She stressed that
any Palestinian National Unity Government must fully accept
the Quartet principles and cautioned that slippage on these
points would only provide Hamas with legitimacy. As she has
done elsewhere, Livni also clearly rejected any Palestinian
refugee right of return to Israel.
4. (C) In discussions with FM Aso and JICA President Ogawa,
Livni asked Japan to consider possible trilateral aid
projects with third countries. The Japanese maintained that
she was referring primarily to moderate Muslim states, and
that she specifically mentioned Indonesia and Malaysia. The
Israeli MFA would only confirm that she had discussed "states
in Asia and Africa." The Japanese gave Livni a positive
answer, with the caveat that the countries in question must
first agree to such arrangements. Other discussions on
assistance focused Japan's Corridor of Peace and Prosperity
initiative, which seeks to use Japanese aid to improve
Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian cooperation on
transportation and agri-business projects in the Jordan River
valley.
-------------- --------------
Japanese Concern Over Israeli Arms Sales to China
-------------- --------------
5. (C) According to the Japanese Embassy, PM Abe expressed
serious concern about what he called the rapid rearmament of
China, and asked the GOI to consider these views before
selling weapons in the region. Livni reportedly replied that
there will be no significant sales to China in the near term.
The Japanese also sought and obtained Livni's commitment to
support their efforts to contain North Korea's military
programs and seek the return of kidnapped Japanese nationals.
--------------
Civil Aviation, Space, and other Issues
--------------
6. (C) Both governments confirmed that Livni had requested
permission for El Al to fly from Tel Aviv to Tokyo. The
Japanese Embassy said that such a move is impossible due to
capacity problems, and urged El Al to fly to Osaka instead,
where landing rights have already been approved. The MFA had
no further details on Livni's request for Japanese
cooperation on space projects.
7. (C) As noted in reftel, other "deliverables" from the
Japan trip included an agreement to elevate the annual
official dialogue to the director general (Japanese Vice FM)
level, an invitation for PM Olmert to visit Japan in the
spring, an invitation to FM Aso to travel to Israel, and
agreement on sending Japanese business and cultural
delegations to Israel. The Japanese also decided to lower
TEL AVIV 00000320 002 OF 002
their travel warning for parts of the region. The Japanese
Embassy explained that Israel had long complained that
warnings for Jerusalem were different from those pertaining
to green-line Israel.
--------------
Bio Note
--------------
8. (SBU) Livni broke with her usual custom and brought her
husband on the Japan trip. She has also taken him on other
official visits to New York and Davos. The couple scheduled
cultural and tourist events in addition to the official
program.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/29/2017
TAGS: PREL PARM EAIR JA IS
SUBJECT: LIVNI IN TOKYO: NEW MIDDLE EAST, TRILATERAL
ASSISTANCE WITH MODERATES, AND NO ARMS TO CHINA
REF: TOKYO 0356
Classified By: Political Counselor Marc Sievers; Reasons 1.4 (B and D).
1. (C) Summary: According to both the Japanese Embassy and
Israeli MFA, FM Livni used her January 17-18 visit to Japan
to outline her views on the current situation in the Middle
East and stress the importance of opposing Iran and
supporting moderates (including Palestinian President Abbas).
She also asked Japan to consider trilateral aid projects to
bring Israel and the moderate Muslim states closer together.
PM Abe expressed strong concerns over Israeli arms sales to
China; the Japanese said Livni replied that no significant
arms sales will take place in the near future. Livni was
unable to obtain landing rights for El Al in Tokyo. End
summary.
-------------- -
Strengthening Moderates in the New Middle East
-------------- -
2. (C) Reading from the Tokyo reports, the Japanese Embassy
told us that Livni had explained her view of new realities in
the Middle East, specifically the confrontation between
moderates and extremists. In her meeting with PM Abe, she
maintained that moderate Arab states share many of Israel's
concerns -- especially about Iran -- but cannot publicly
admit it without progress on the formation of a Palestinian
state. She told FM Aso that a failure by the international
community to confront Iran would force moderate Arab states
into acquiescence with Tehran's drive for hegemony for their
own safety. Livni also called any attempt to engage Syria
"naive and wrong," because talks would boost Asad without
obtaining concrete results.
3. (C) According to the Japanese, Livni urged her hosts to
strengthen Palestinian President Abbas. She stressed that
any Palestinian National Unity Government must fully accept
the Quartet principles and cautioned that slippage on these
points would only provide Hamas with legitimacy. As she has
done elsewhere, Livni also clearly rejected any Palestinian
refugee right of return to Israel.
4. (C) In discussions with FM Aso and JICA President Ogawa,
Livni asked Japan to consider possible trilateral aid
projects with third countries. The Japanese maintained that
she was referring primarily to moderate Muslim states, and
that she specifically mentioned Indonesia and Malaysia. The
Israeli MFA would only confirm that she had discussed "states
in Asia and Africa." The Japanese gave Livni a positive
answer, with the caveat that the countries in question must
first agree to such arrangements. Other discussions on
assistance focused Japan's Corridor of Peace and Prosperity
initiative, which seeks to use Japanese aid to improve
Israeli, Jordanian, and Palestinian cooperation on
transportation and agri-business projects in the Jordan River
valley.
-------------- --------------
Japanese Concern Over Israeli Arms Sales to China
-------------- --------------
5. (C) According to the Japanese Embassy, PM Abe expressed
serious concern about what he called the rapid rearmament of
China, and asked the GOI to consider these views before
selling weapons in the region. Livni reportedly replied that
there will be no significant sales to China in the near term.
The Japanese also sought and obtained Livni's commitment to
support their efforts to contain North Korea's military
programs and seek the return of kidnapped Japanese nationals.
--------------
Civil Aviation, Space, and other Issues
--------------
6. (C) Both governments confirmed that Livni had requested
permission for El Al to fly from Tel Aviv to Tokyo. The
Japanese Embassy said that such a move is impossible due to
capacity problems, and urged El Al to fly to Osaka instead,
where landing rights have already been approved. The MFA had
no further details on Livni's request for Japanese
cooperation on space projects.
7. (C) As noted in reftel, other "deliverables" from the
Japan trip included an agreement to elevate the annual
official dialogue to the director general (Japanese Vice FM)
level, an invitation for PM Olmert to visit Japan in the
spring, an invitation to FM Aso to travel to Israel, and
agreement on sending Japanese business and cultural
delegations to Israel. The Japanese also decided to lower
TEL AVIV 00000320 002 OF 002
their travel warning for parts of the region. The Japanese
Embassy explained that Israel had long complained that
warnings for Jerusalem were different from those pertaining
to green-line Israel.
--------------
Bio Note
--------------
8. (SBU) Livni broke with her usual custom and brought her
husband on the Japan trip. She has also taken him on other
official visits to New York and Davos. The couple scheduled
cultural and tourist events in addition to the official
program.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES