JAPAN CALLS FOR COOPERATION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001716 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/18/2016 TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL JA NATO SUBJECT: JAPAN CALLS FOR COOPERATION ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS REF: TOKYO 00438 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. In his first meeting with Political-Military Affairs Acting Assistant Secretary Stephen Mull on April 11, MOFA Disarmament, Nonproliferation, and Science Department Director-General Takeshi Nakane called for close U.S.-Japan coordination on cluster munitions (CM),and requested that the U.S. develop a formal negotiating mandate in the CCW ""by the end of the year."" Japan will participate in the Oslo meetings in order to address any ""unrealistic"" proposals that might be introduced for future agreements, but will avoid outcomes that impede the U.S.-Japan defense relationship. AA/S Mull outlined new Administration efforts on Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS),highlighted concerns about the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),and suggested that Japan and the ROK consider joining a joint U.S.-EU arrangement being proposed by Germany. End Summary. -------------- CCW Mandate Needed -------------- ¶2. (C) During a 30-minute discussion with visiting Acting A/S Mull, MOFA Disarmament, Nonproliferation, and Science DG Takeshi Nakane called for close U.S.-Japan coordination on cluster munitions (CM). Tokyo attaches great importance to the CM discussions taking place in the Conference on Conventional Weapons (CCW). The U.S. should develop a formal negotiating mandate in the CCW ""by the end of the year"" in order to deflect criticism from supporters of the Oslo process who believe that the CCW is ""finished,"" Nakane suggested. The major CM-producing countries do not participate in the Oslo talks, meaning that any final declaration reached by the group would be ""empty."" Japan therefore believes that CM deliberations should, in the main, continue to be addressed in the CCW. -------------- Oslo -------------- ¶3. (C) Nevertheless, DG Nakane continued, ""it would be better for Japan to get involved"" in the Oslo meetings in order to address any ""unrealistic"" proposals that might be introduced for future agreements. Japan had not yet decided whether to participate in the next meeting in Lima, Peru. Tokyo placed utmost importance on its security arrangements with Washington and would not allow any outcome of the Oslo discussion to impede the U.S.-Japan defense relationship. Japan had not yet decided whether it would support a draft CM treaty which Tokyo has heard Germany will propose at the April 18-20 International Committee of the Red Cross meeting in Montreux, Switzerland. ¶4. (C) Japan and the U.S. would need to mimic the close coordination that Tokyo and Washington demonstrated during the lead up to the Ottawa Convention regarding anti-personnel landmines, Nakane said. He added that the government faced domestic political pressure from the Diet and NGOs to participate in the Ottawa process, which eventually forced Tokyo to join the agreement. -------------- EU Discussions -------------- ¶5. (C) AA/S Mull, referring to CM as a ""very valuable system for defense"" and emphasizing the importance of minimizing civilian casualties, agreed on the need for close coordination. The U.S. recently launched a new study on CM use that, by the end of the year, might result in a new CM policy. In early April, the U.S. held discussions with France, Germany, and the UK on CM. Washington is studying a German idea about a joint U.S.-EU approach to CM. AA/S Mull suggested that Japan and the ROK look at participating in that effort. ¶6. (C) DG Nakane welcomed upcoming expert-level talks with an inter-agency delegation later in April and passed AA/S Mull a list of questions about U.S. cluster munitions use that he said would help inform the discussions. -------------- MANPADS & ATT -------------- ¶7. (C) AA/S Mull outlined a new Administration effort to regulate the distribution of Man Portable Air Defense Systems (MANPADS). The U.S. is working with Ukraine and several African countries, and hopes to appoint an Ambassador-level envoy to increase efforts to destroy or control these systems. The AA/S also highlighted Washington's concerns about the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT),which the U.S. feared might be used by suspect countries to place a stamp of approval on illicit arms transfers. Nakane, noting that Japan was one of the original seven sponsors of the ATT, said that the ATT was in line with Japan's already strict export control regime, and was aimed at states that were violating humanitarian law and committing genocide. ¶8. (U) AA/S Mull has cleared this cable. SCHIEFFER