JAPAN-RUSSIA VICE MINISTER TALKS: NO PROGRESS ON

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002287

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 05/22/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV JA RU
SUBJECT: JAPAN-RUSSIA VICE MINISTER TALKS: NO PROGRESS ON
NORTHERN TERRITORIES


Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)


1. (C) Summary. The May 17 Japan-Russia Vice Ministerial
talks addressed a range of topics, but focused on
preparations for the PM Abe-President Putin meeting on the
margins of the G-8, MOFA and Russian Embassy contacts tell
Embassy Tokyo political officer. Japan asked for
clarification on reports Russia plans to stop allocating
fishing quotas to foreign fishing companies. On North Korea,
Moscow was "not optimistic" about prospects for an early
resolution of the DPRK nuclear issue. Japan expressed hope
that Russia's plans to assist Burma to develop peaceful uses
of nuclear energy would ensure that non-proliferation
requirements were in place. Our Russian interlocutors saw
little prospect for an early settlement of the Northern
Territories issue. End Summary.


2. (C) On May 18, MOFA European Affairs Bureau Russian
Division Deputy Director Kazuhiko Nakamura gave Embassy Tokyo
a readout of the Japan-Russian Vice Ministerial meeting
between Deputy Foreign Minister Mitoji Yabunaka and Deputy
Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov held May 17 in Moscow.
Nakamura noted that the discussion focused on preparations
for the Abe-Putin meeting on the margins of the G-8 meeting
in Germany. The Yabunaka-Losyukov talks covered bilateral
and regional topics, but produced no new movement on the
disputed Northern Territories issue.

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Bilateral Issues -- Political
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3. (C) Losyukov underlined the importance Russia placed on
the Putin-Abe meeting on the margins of the upcoming G-8
summit, which Moscow believes will give "momentum" to
Japan-Russian relations. The two men discussed the
modalities involved in holding a second full summit, perhaps
on the margins of a future multilateral event such as APEC or
ASEAN, but did not set a specific date. Yabunaka and
Losyukov confirmed that the two countries would hold a
strategic dialogue on June 1 in Tokyo, led by Vice Minister
Shotaro Yachi and First Deputy Minister Andrei Denisov. They
both agreed to continue discussions aimed at resolution of
the Northern Territories (NT) issue, as well as talks on
disaster prevention and conservation.

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Bilateral Issues -- Economic
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4. (C) Yabunaka asked for the release of the Japanese captain
and his fishing boat seized January 21, 2007 by the Russian
Coast Guard for fishing in Russian-claimed waters near the
Northern Territories, according to Nakamura. Yabunaka also
asked Losyukov to clarify remarks Putin made to the Duma
indicating that Russia plans to stop allocating fishing quota
to foreign fishing companies. Russia urged Japan to
cooperate on the sustainable development of the Russian Far
East and East Siberian region, as well as economic
integration between those regions and the East Asian
"mega-region."


5. (C) Separately, Russian Embassy First Secretary Yurii
Yuriev confirmed that the Yabunaka-Losyukov discussions had
been designed to set the stage for the Abe-Putin meeting on
the margins of the G-8. Yuriev emphasized that the two
leaders were not likely to address the NT issue in depth at
the Germany meeting. Moscow officials saw little prospect
for an early settlement of the NT issue absent the
"development of a strategic relationship" between the two
countries - a relationship that would entail conducting
"considerable discussion" before a resolution could be
reached. Russia and Japan would also need to resolve their
differing historical views on the four disputed islands,
Yuriev observed.


TOKYO 00002287 002 OF 002


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Multilateral/Regional Issues
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5. (C) On North Korea, Losyukov said that Russia was "not
optimistic" about prospects for an early resolution of issues
related to the DPRK nuclear problem. Yabunaka and Losyukov
agreed on the need to maintain the cohesion and unity of the
international community, and to take a step-by-step approach.


6. (C) Yabunaka inquired about a Russian agreement, reported
in the media, designed to help Burma develop peaceful uses of
nuclear energy. Tokyo "was not 100 percent opposed" to
Burma's participation in such programs, Yabunaka said, but
believes that nuclear energy programs must have
non-proliferation safety and security arrangements in place.
Yabunaka asked Losyukov if Burma had taken the necessary
steps to fulfill these safety and security requirements,
Nakamura said. Japan also expressed the hope that Russia had
taken the proper precautions, as well. Losyukov responded
that, while Moscow did not want to see Burma become a nuclear
power, Russian did not feel it could deny another state the
right to pursue the peaceful use of nuclear energy.
SCHIEFFER