Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO2483
2007-06-04 08:42:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN URGES U.S. TO CO-SPONSOR NEGOTIATING MANDATE
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002483
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016
TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL JA NATO
SUBJECT: JAPAN URGES U.S. TO CO-SPONSOR NEGOTIATING MANDATE
ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS AT CCW
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002483
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016
TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL JA NATO
SUBJECT: JAPAN URGES U.S. TO CO-SPONSOR NEGOTIATING MANDATE
ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS AT CCW
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. During a June 1 briefing on the May 24-25
Lima conference on cluster munitions (CM),MOFA officials
stressed that there had been no change in the Japanese
position and that Tokyo still sought to balance security and
humanitarian issues. Citing concerns about growing momentum
in the Oslo process for a CM treaty or agreement that Japan
might be compelled to support if public opinion in Japan
forced the issue, the Japanese urged the U.S. to consider
co-sponsoring a negotiating mandate at the June and November
meetings of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
(CCW). End Summary.
2. (C) On June 1, MOFA Disarmament, Non-proliferation, and
Science Department Deputy Director-General Masatoshi Shimbo
briefed Embassy Tokyo Political Minister Counselor on the May
24-25 Lima conference on cluster munitions, which Shimbo had
attended. The DDG stressed that there had been no change in
the Japanese position and that Tokyo still sought to balance
security and humanitarian concerns. Japan agrees with the
U.S. that cluster munitions are necessary and that the issue
is best addressed in the CCW. Shimbo said Japan welcomes
U.S. implementation of changes to CM that would limit
civilian casualties.
--------------
European Support Thin
--------------
3. (C) There had been considerable support for the CCW among
participants at the Lima meeting, according to Shimbo. Even
the Peruvians indicated that the CCW and Oslo processes were
not mutually exclusive and could be merged at some future
date. The Irish, Norwegian and a few other delegations did
not speak out against the CCW while in Lima. He observed,
however, that while European support for CCW is "widespread"
it is, in his view, "thin.8
--------------
U.S. Co-Sponsor
--------------
4. (C) Shimbo nevertheless expressed concern about what the
Japanese saw as momentum building in the Oslo process for a
CM treaty or agreement that Japan might be compelled to
support if public opinion in Japan forced the issue. He urged
the U.S. to consider proposing and/or co-sponsoring (along
with possibly the UK, Germany, and/or Australia) a
negotiating mandate at both the Geneva CCW June expert,s and
November plenary meetings.
--------------
Block by Proxy
--------------
5. (C) Shimbo warned that Japan has heard from the German
delegation that supporters of the Oslo-process, frustrated by
what they view as unacceptable compromises that may arise in
the Geneva process, may try to block progress in the
June/November CCW negotiations in order to maintain momentum
in the Oslo-process discussions. Oslo-process supporters
might use proxies to block the proceedings; according to
Shimbo, the Mexican delegation, in particular, &can,t wait
for the moment to block8 the CCW talks. He opined that the
UK, Germany, and Australia are considering
TOKYO 00002483 002 OF 002
modernization/upgrades to their CM stockpiles that would
allow them to accept some provisions being considered in the
Oslo discussions ) a move, Shimbo claimed, that would allow
each of the three countries to maintain its CM stockpile
while simultaneously gaining credit for addressing
humanitarian concerns.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/04/2016
TAGS: MOPS PARM PREL JA NATO
SUBJECT: JAPAN URGES U.S. TO CO-SPONSOR NEGOTIATING MANDATE
ON CLUSTER MUNITIONS AT CCW
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. During a June 1 briefing on the May 24-25
Lima conference on cluster munitions (CM),MOFA officials
stressed that there had been no change in the Japanese
position and that Tokyo still sought to balance security and
humanitarian issues. Citing concerns about growing momentum
in the Oslo process for a CM treaty or agreement that Japan
might be compelled to support if public opinion in Japan
forced the issue, the Japanese urged the U.S. to consider
co-sponsoring a negotiating mandate at the June and November
meetings of the Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons
(CCW). End Summary.
2. (C) On June 1, MOFA Disarmament, Non-proliferation, and
Science Department Deputy Director-General Masatoshi Shimbo
briefed Embassy Tokyo Political Minister Counselor on the May
24-25 Lima conference on cluster munitions, which Shimbo had
attended. The DDG stressed that there had been no change in
the Japanese position and that Tokyo still sought to balance
security and humanitarian concerns. Japan agrees with the
U.S. that cluster munitions are necessary and that the issue
is best addressed in the CCW. Shimbo said Japan welcomes
U.S. implementation of changes to CM that would limit
civilian casualties.
--------------
European Support Thin
--------------
3. (C) There had been considerable support for the CCW among
participants at the Lima meeting, according to Shimbo. Even
the Peruvians indicated that the CCW and Oslo processes were
not mutually exclusive and could be merged at some future
date. The Irish, Norwegian and a few other delegations did
not speak out against the CCW while in Lima. He observed,
however, that while European support for CCW is "widespread"
it is, in his view, "thin.8
--------------
U.S. Co-Sponsor
--------------
4. (C) Shimbo nevertheless expressed concern about what the
Japanese saw as momentum building in the Oslo process for a
CM treaty or agreement that Japan might be compelled to
support if public opinion in Japan forced the issue. He urged
the U.S. to consider proposing and/or co-sponsoring (along
with possibly the UK, Germany, and/or Australia) a
negotiating mandate at both the Geneva CCW June expert,s and
November plenary meetings.
--------------
Block by Proxy
--------------
5. (C) Shimbo warned that Japan has heard from the German
delegation that supporters of the Oslo-process, frustrated by
what they view as unacceptable compromises that may arise in
the Geneva process, may try to block progress in the
June/November CCW negotiations in order to maintain momentum
in the Oslo-process discussions. Oslo-process supporters
might use proxies to block the proceedings; according to
Shimbo, the Mexican delegation, in particular, &can,t wait
for the moment to block8 the CCW talks. He opined that the
UK, Germany, and Australia are considering
TOKYO 00002483 002 OF 002
modernization/upgrades to their CM stockpiles that would
allow them to accept some provisions being considered in the
Oslo discussions ) a move, Shimbo claimed, that would allow
each of the three countries to maintain its CM stockpile
while simultaneously gaining credit for addressing
humanitarian concerns.
SCHIEFFER