JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER UNDECIDED ON ATTENDANCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001658 SIPDIS SIPDIS DEPT FOR NEA/I TAECKER TREASURY FOR DEPSEC KIMMITT E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/15/2017 TAGS: PREL EAID EFIN IZ JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER UNDECIDED ON ATTENDANCE AT IRAQ COMPACT SIGNING REF: STATE 47346 Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4(b) a nd (d) ¶1. (C) Japanese Foreign Minister Aso has not yet decided whether he will attend the International Compact With Iraq signing ceremony May 3 in Sharm el-Sheikh, MOFA Second Middle East Division Principal Deputy Director Motosada Matano told Embassy Tokyo Political Officer April 16. However, he will attend the Neighbors Meeting on May 4. According to Matano, current plans call for National Security Advisor Yoriko Koike to attend the Compact meeting. She will be with Prime Minister Abe when he visits Cairo on May 2 and will remain behind to attend the meetings in Sharm el-Sheik. ¶2. (C) The problem is one of scheduling. At the moment, Aso is scheduled to be in Moscow on May 3 to meet with Foreign Minister Lavrov and have dinner with him that evening. He would then fly overnight to reach Egypt in time for the Neighbors Meeting on the 4th. Matano said that Iraqi Prime Minister al-Maliki had personally extended the invitation to Aso when the two met in Tokyo last week, and that MOFA has received DepSecTreas Kimmitt's letter and made note of the strong desire it evinces to have Aso attend. The Middle East and African Affairs Bureau has presented to the Foreign Minister's office their recommendation that he attend the Compact meeting, continued Matano. But at the same time, the European Affairs Bureau has urged him to keep his appointment to visit Moscow. Embassy Tokyo Political Officer thanked Matano for the information but reiterated that Foreign Minister Aso's attendance at the Compact signing would be highly desired, particularly given the key role Japan has played in providing assistance to Iraq and with the Compact process. NOTE: Aso will be in Washington to meet with the Secretary at the Two-Plus-Two meeting scheduled for May 1 and SIPDIS will also be giving a presentation at CSIS on May 2 before departing for either Moscow or Egypt, depending upon his decision. END NOTE. SCHIEFFER