Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO5019
2007-10-26 08:49:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
RUSSIAN FM LAVROV MEETING WITH JAPAN FM KOMURA:
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 005019
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG JA RU
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV MEETING WITH JAPAN FM KOMURA:
MOSCOW CONCERNS REGARDING MISSILE DEFENSE; NO PROGRESS ON
NORTHERN TERRITORIES
REF: A. TOKYO 02690
B. TOKYO 04661
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 005019
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG JA RU
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV MEETING WITH JAPAN FM KOMURA:
MOSCOW CONCERNS REGARDING MISSILE DEFENSE; NO PROGRESS ON
NORTHERN TERRITORIES
REF: A. TOKYO 02690
B. TOKYO 04661
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Tokyo and Moscow made no progress toward
resolving the Northern Territories issue during Russian FM
Sergei Lavrov's October 23 visit to Japan, MOFA officials
told Embassy Tokyo on October 25. Lavrov expressed concern
about U.S.-Japan missile defense cooperation and BMD
deployments, which he said encircled Russia and demonstrated
that missile defense should be viewed in a global, not
regional, context. End Summary.
--------------
Bilateral Relations
--------------
2. (C) On Oct. 25, MOFA Russia Division Principal Deputy
Director Kotaro Otsuki briefed Embassy Tokyo on Russian FM
Sergei Lavrov's October 23 visit to Tokyo. Lavrov held a
90-minute meeting and hour-long working dinner with FM
Masahiko Komura, and paid courtesy calls on Chief Cabinet
Secretary Nobutaka Machimura and opposition DPJ Secretary
SIPDIS
General Yukio Hatoyama.
3. (C) According to Otsuki, Komura and Lavrov sought to
confirm the positive course of Japanese-Russian political
dialogue following the recent Cabinet re-shuffles in Tokyo
and Moscow. Komura and Lavrov set a November 5-6 date for
the visit of Deputy PM Sergei Naryshkin, and December 6 for
the third round of the Japan-Russia strategic dialogue
between VFM Yachi and DFM Denisov.
--------------
No Progress on Northern Territories
--------------
4. (C) Contradicting media reports of October 25, Otsuki
stated that the two sides made no progress toward resolving
the Northern Territories (NT) issue, and that neither side
offered any new proposals. Drawing on a written summary of
the meeting, Otsuki said that Lavrov noted that he did not
"intend to freeze the issue," but that it would be
"impossible to solve it simply and early." The Russian FM
urged Tokyo to solve the dispute by using "patience and
looking at reality."
5. (C) Komura and Lavrov also discussed:
-- Former NT residents currently living in Japan who want to
conduct non-visa visits to the disputed islands using
commercial aircraft, rather than the ferry, which takes
several hours to cross from Hokkaido to the NT;
-- The immigration status of third-country workers. Some
Diet members fear issuance of Russian immigration documents
will negatively affect Japan's legal claims on the NT;
-- Plans for the G-8 Hokkaido-Toyako meeting;
-- Efforts to protect sea life and pursue ecological
cooperation in the Sea of Okhotsk;
-- Japan's proposal for Cooperation in the Russian Far East
and East Siberia (Ref A). MOFA European Affairs Deputy
Director-General Keiichi Katakami will attend the October 26
Vladivostok meeting of the sub-committee on economic
relations and cultural exchanges trade. (Otsuki said Japan
and Russia maintain a second sub-committee on trade and
investment); and,
TOKYO 00005019 002.2 OF 002
-- The third round of talks on atomic cooperation, set for
November 9-10 in Tokyo (Ref B).
--------------
Missile Defense
--------------
6. (C) Lavrov expressed concern about U.S.-Japan missile
defense cooperation, Otsuki noted. U.S. Aegis ships in the
Mediterranean Sea, as well as BMD deployments in Japan,
Poland, the Czech Republic, UK, Greenland, Alaska and
California, demonstrated that the missile defense issue
should be viewed in a global, not regional, context. U.S.
anti-missile deployments formed a circle that contained
Russia - &four-fifths of Russian territory is covered by
radar,8 Lavrov stated, according to Otsuki. The Russian FM,
citing U.S. assurances that BMD was designed to counter North
Korea and Iranian missiles, said that while Pyongyang might
present a threat, Iran did not. Lavrov believes that the
United States should seek "simpler, cheaper ways to
neutralize the threat," Otsuki continued. FM Komura
responded that Tokyo,s BMD system was not aimed at Russia,
and that Japan sought to avoid actions that worsened
U.S.-Russian relations.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/26/2016
TAGS: PREL PGOV ENRG JA RU
SUBJECT: RUSSIAN FM LAVROV MEETING WITH JAPAN FM KOMURA:
MOSCOW CONCERNS REGARDING MISSILE DEFENSE; NO PROGRESS ON
NORTHERN TERRITORIES
REF: A. TOKYO 02690
B. TOKYO 04661
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Tokyo and Moscow made no progress toward
resolving the Northern Territories issue during Russian FM
Sergei Lavrov's October 23 visit to Japan, MOFA officials
told Embassy Tokyo on October 25. Lavrov expressed concern
about U.S.-Japan missile defense cooperation and BMD
deployments, which he said encircled Russia and demonstrated
that missile defense should be viewed in a global, not
regional, context. End Summary.
--------------
Bilateral Relations
--------------
2. (C) On Oct. 25, MOFA Russia Division Principal Deputy
Director Kotaro Otsuki briefed Embassy Tokyo on Russian FM
Sergei Lavrov's October 23 visit to Tokyo. Lavrov held a
90-minute meeting and hour-long working dinner with FM
Masahiko Komura, and paid courtesy calls on Chief Cabinet
Secretary Nobutaka Machimura and opposition DPJ Secretary
SIPDIS
General Yukio Hatoyama.
3. (C) According to Otsuki, Komura and Lavrov sought to
confirm the positive course of Japanese-Russian political
dialogue following the recent Cabinet re-shuffles in Tokyo
and Moscow. Komura and Lavrov set a November 5-6 date for
the visit of Deputy PM Sergei Naryshkin, and December 6 for
the third round of the Japan-Russia strategic dialogue
between VFM Yachi and DFM Denisov.
--------------
No Progress on Northern Territories
--------------
4. (C) Contradicting media reports of October 25, Otsuki
stated that the two sides made no progress toward resolving
the Northern Territories (NT) issue, and that neither side
offered any new proposals. Drawing on a written summary of
the meeting, Otsuki said that Lavrov noted that he did not
"intend to freeze the issue," but that it would be
"impossible to solve it simply and early." The Russian FM
urged Tokyo to solve the dispute by using "patience and
looking at reality."
5. (C) Komura and Lavrov also discussed:
-- Former NT residents currently living in Japan who want to
conduct non-visa visits to the disputed islands using
commercial aircraft, rather than the ferry, which takes
several hours to cross from Hokkaido to the NT;
-- The immigration status of third-country workers. Some
Diet members fear issuance of Russian immigration documents
will negatively affect Japan's legal claims on the NT;
-- Plans for the G-8 Hokkaido-Toyako meeting;
-- Efforts to protect sea life and pursue ecological
cooperation in the Sea of Okhotsk;
-- Japan's proposal for Cooperation in the Russian Far East
and East Siberia (Ref A). MOFA European Affairs Deputy
Director-General Keiichi Katakami will attend the October 26
Vladivostok meeting of the sub-committee on economic
relations and cultural exchanges trade. (Otsuki said Japan
and Russia maintain a second sub-committee on trade and
investment); and,
TOKYO 00005019 002.2 OF 002
-- The third round of talks on atomic cooperation, set for
November 9-10 in Tokyo (Ref B).
--------------
Missile Defense
--------------
6. (C) Lavrov expressed concern about U.S.-Japan missile
defense cooperation, Otsuki noted. U.S. Aegis ships in the
Mediterranean Sea, as well as BMD deployments in Japan,
Poland, the Czech Republic, UK, Greenland, Alaska and
California, demonstrated that the missile defense issue
should be viewed in a global, not regional, context. U.S.
anti-missile deployments formed a circle that contained
Russia - &four-fifths of Russian territory is covered by
radar,8 Lavrov stated, according to Otsuki. The Russian FM,
citing U.S. assurances that BMD was designed to counter North
Korea and Iranian missiles, said that while Pyongyang might
present a threat, Iran did not. Lavrov believes that the
United States should seek "simpler, cheaper ways to
neutralize the threat," Otsuki continued. FM Komura
responded that Tokyo,s BMD system was not aimed at Russia,
and that Japan sought to avoid actions that worsened
U.S.-Russian relations.
SCHIEFFER