JAPANESE AMBASSADOR MEETS IRAQI PRESIDENT

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005060 SIPDIS SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/29/2017 TAGS: PREL IZ JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE AMBASSADOR MEETS IRAQI PRESIDENT Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d ) ¶1. (C) SUMMARY: Japanese Ambassador to Baghdad Monji met October 25 in Baghdad with Iraqi President Jalal Talabani to reiterate Japan's support for Iraq and to urge further steps to promote national reconciliation. MOFA sources state the purpose of the meeting was to garner publicity and to remind the Japanese public of the role their government is playing in Iraq. END SUMMARY. ¶2. (U) Japan remains committed to assisting Iraq through both yen loans and grant aid, Japanese Ambassador to Iraq Kenjiro Monji told Iraqi President Jalal Talabani in Baghdad October ¶25. Monji also urged the Iraqis to make greater progress toward realizing national reconciliation, revising the constitution, addressing the deBaathification issue, and enacting oil revenue sharing legislation, according to MOFA Second Middle East Division Principal Deputy Director Motosada Matano. Relying on a publicly issued Japanese language MOFA press release reporting the meeting, Matano added that Monji told Talabani Japan is looking to him to make a strong initiative toward these ends. Talabani reportedly replied that Iraq appreciates Japan's support and friendship, told Monji the Iraqi Islamic Party would soon be rejoining the government, and hinted there will soon be significant developments in the national reconciliation area. Talabani stated Iraqis are exhausted by the violence and said there have been significant signs of progress on the security front in Anbar, Diyala, Salahadine, and Ninawa provinces. At the same time, steps are also being taken to control the activities of Jaysh al-Mahdi. He also assured Monji that he is making serious efforts to prevent the PKK from conducting terrorist attacks. ¶3. (C) Matano told Political Officer the major purpose of the meeting was to raise the profile of Japanese involvement in Iraq. The Japanese press has recently been dominated by stories about Afghanistan and Operation Enduring Freedom, and MOFA believed it important to remind the public that Japan remains engaged in supporting the Iraqi government. According to Matano, no new ground was covered and nothing was discussed other than what was reported in the official press release. Matano said MOFA will also be attempting to publicize the fact that recently one of Japan's Air Self Defense Force C-130s stationed in Kuwait made a delivery to Baghdad of medical equipment donated by a Japanese NGO named for one of the Japanese diplomats killed early in the Iraq conflict. SCHIEFFER