TOKYO TO HOST PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002555 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/06/2017 TAGS: PREL KPAL JA SUBJECT: TOKYO TO HOST PALESTINIAN FOREIGN MINISTER REF: TOKYO 2161 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reaons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu-Amr will visit Tokyo June 11-13, hosted by Foreign Minister Aso. Japan's message to Abu-Amr will be that the Palestinians must solve their internal problems and resume the peace process with the Israelis. Abu-Amr is expected to request a resumption of Japanese aid to the Palestinian Authority, but MOFA sources report Japan will not agree to provide direct assistance to the PA due to the presence of Hamas elements. FM Aso will, however, be amenable to discussing modalities for providing assistance to the Office of President Abbas. Abu-Amr is also expected to request assistance to rehabilitate the Gaza coastal road. If he does the Japanese will defer, given the unstable security situation in the area. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (C) Palestinian Foreign Minister Ziad Abu-Amr will visit Tokyo June 11-13 at the invitation of Foreign Minister Aso, confirmed MOFA First Middle East Division officer Mamoru Kanno. This will be the fourth meeting between Japanese and Palestinian FMs, the last being held in February 2004. It will also be the first visit to Japan of a Palestinian minister since the January 2006 election that brought Hamas to power. (NOTE: Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat visited Tokyo in March 2007 to attend the Japanese-hosted "Third Conference for Confidence Building between Israelis and Palestinians." END NOTE.) -------------- JAPAN TO URGE RESUMPTION OF PEACE PROCESS -------------- ¶3. (C) Japan's intent in inviting Abu-Amr at this time is to encourage the Palestinians to settle internal conflicts and to resume progress in peace talks with Israel, Kanno told Embassy Tokyo political officer. FM Aso will push for a public statement by him on this subject. Japan also hopes to learn from Abu-Amr more about the current situation in the Palestinian territories and any plans to bring an end to conflict within the Palestinian camp. ¶4. (C) Kanno reiterated Japan's position that it welcomes the recent formation of a Palestinian national unity government and views this as a positive step toward resuming peace negotiations with Israel. That said, Japan will not have contact with members of the government who are affiliated with Hamas. Tokyo does, however, plan to meet with non-Hamas members of the government, such as Abu-Amr. As noted in reftel, Japan believes it important to bolster and maintain links with moderate Palestinians while shunning Hamas elements, and wants to utilize these contacts to encourage the Palestinians to solve their problems and resume talks with Israel. Hence, the invitation to Abu-Amr. -------------- --- NO DIRECT ASSISTANCE TO PALESTINIAN AUTHORITY... -------------- --- ¶5. (C) In an interview given to Japanese newspaper Mainichi Shimbun on June 6, Abu-Amr indicated he will appeal to Japan to resume assistance to the Palestinian government. Kanno stated Japan's earlier expressed view on this (reftel) has not changed: Japan has no intention of providing direct assistance to the Palestinian Authority due to the presence of Hamas elements. Kanno pointed out that Japan has full faith in and trusts Palestinian Minister of Finance Salam Fayyad, who they consider to be an independent and expert minister. However, while Tokyo is confident Fayyad would not allow funds to be spent to support terrorism, Kanno noted there is no guarantee he will remain in his position. Accordingly, the Japanese aren't taking any chances and will not channel funds directly into the Palestinian Ministry of Finance. At the same time, however, the Japanese are willing to consider ways in which direct assistance can be given to the Office of President Abbas, and modalities for such transfers will be discussed during the visit. ¶6. (C) Kanno predicted Abu-Amr will ask for financial assistance to rehabilitate the Gaza coastal road, a project President Abbas has raised with the Japanese in the past. If this is raised, Tokyo plans to respond that the uncertain security situation in Gaza precludes such assistance at this time. -------------- ADDITIONAL EVENTS -------------- ¶7. (C) In addition to Abu-Amr's meeting with Aso, MOFA has requested for him a courtesy call on Prime Minister Abe but is still waiting for confirmation. Abu-Amr is also scheduled to meet with members of the Diet and to participate in a lecture and press event sponsored by the Japan Middle East Research Institute. According to Kanno, Abu-Amr will be accompanied by Majdi al-Khaldi, foreign policy advisor to President Abbas, and Muhannad Hammouri, Palestinian chief of protocol. Pursuant to standing Department guidance, Embassy has not approached the Palestinian Mission in Tokyo about this visit. SCHIEFFER