Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
07TOKYO5193
2007-11-09 07:52:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN OPPOSES RESTRICTING PDG MEMBERSHIP
how-toVZCZCXYZ0000 PP RUEHWEB DE RUEHKO #5193 3130752 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 090752Z NOV 07 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9433 INFO RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0262 RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1316 RUEHBR/AMEMBASSY BRASILIA PRIORITY 0389 RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 2433 RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0527 RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 1885 RUEHME/AMEMBASSY MEXICO PRIORITY 0471 RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 9589 RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 5837 RUEHSG/AMEMBASSY SANTIAGO PRIORITY 0165 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 6118 RUEHWR/AMEMBASSY WARSAW PRIORITY 0449 RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1010
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005193
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EEB/EPPD - NANCY SMITH-NISSLEY, EEB/ODF - CHRISTINE
HARBAUGH, S/P - DICK SOKOLSKY AND JEAN GERAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID KDEM JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN OPPOSES RESTRICTING PDG MEMBERSHIP
REF: A. TOKYO 3719
B. TOKYO 3831
C. TOKYO 4558
D. STATE 152799
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 005193
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EEB/EPPD - NANCY SMITH-NISSLEY, EEB/ODF - CHRISTINE
HARBAUGH, S/P - DICK SOKOLSKY AND JEAN GERAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID KDEM JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN OPPOSES RESTRICTING PDG MEMBERSHIP
REF: A. TOKYO 3719
B. TOKYO 3831
C. TOKYO 4558
D. STATE 152799
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Japan opposes restricting membership in the
Partnership for Democratic Governance, MOFA Aid Policy
Planning Division Principal Deputy Director Yukiko Okano told
Embassy Tokyo November 9. At the time of the October 1 PDG
planning meeting, membership was open to any country willing
to subscribe to the Declaration of Principles and Objectives,
and Japan opposes the introduction of new criteria. In
addition, Japanese officials have strong reservations about
the use of Freedom House or World Bank indices for screening
potential members, preferring that countries be evaluated for
membership on a case-by-case basis. Okano pointed out that
Japan is not ranked highly in either index. These
reservations also apply to screening possible recipients,
which should also be evaluated based on each country's unique
conditions, Okano stated.
2. (C) The PDG's priority should be to establish a success
story as quickly as possible, Okano continued. To accomplish
this objective, the PDG Advisory Unit should survey the "best
practices" of participant countries and use this information
to select an appropriate country for a program. The most
effective way to solicit this information from PDG countries
would be for the Steering Group or Advisory Committee to
provide each country with a written questionnaire rather than
rely upon the countries to generate a document from scratch,
Okano said.
3. (C) "It doesn't look good at all" for a Japanese
financial contribution to the PDG, noted Okano (Refs A-C),
suggesting that one possible source of funding for PDG
projects is the UN Democracy Fund.
3. (C) Japan does not object to Chile as a co-chair for the
Steering Group or to the United Kingdom's preference for
"observer" status in the PDG.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
FOR EEB/EPPD - NANCY SMITH-NISSLEY, EEB/ODF - CHRISTINE
HARBAUGH, S/P - DICK SOKOLSKY AND JEAN GERAN
E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/08/2017
TAGS: PREL EAID KDEM JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN OPPOSES RESTRICTING PDG MEMBERSHIP
REF: A. TOKYO 3719
B. TOKYO 3831
C. TOKYO 4558
D. STATE 152799
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and (
d).
1. (C) Japan opposes restricting membership in the
Partnership for Democratic Governance, MOFA Aid Policy
Planning Division Principal Deputy Director Yukiko Okano told
Embassy Tokyo November 9. At the time of the October 1 PDG
planning meeting, membership was open to any country willing
to subscribe to the Declaration of Principles and Objectives,
and Japan opposes the introduction of new criteria. In
addition, Japanese officials have strong reservations about
the use of Freedom House or World Bank indices for screening
potential members, preferring that countries be evaluated for
membership on a case-by-case basis. Okano pointed out that
Japan is not ranked highly in either index. These
reservations also apply to screening possible recipients,
which should also be evaluated based on each country's unique
conditions, Okano stated.
2. (C) The PDG's priority should be to establish a success
story as quickly as possible, Okano continued. To accomplish
this objective, the PDG Advisory Unit should survey the "best
practices" of participant countries and use this information
to select an appropriate country for a program. The most
effective way to solicit this information from PDG countries
would be for the Steering Group or Advisory Committee to
provide each country with a written questionnaire rather than
rely upon the countries to generate a document from scratch,
Okano said.
3. (C) "It doesn't look good at all" for a Japanese
financial contribution to the PDG, noted Okano (Refs A-C),
suggesting that one possible source of funding for PDG
projects is the UN Democracy Fund.
3. (C) Japan does not object to Chile as a co-chair for the
Steering Group or to the United Kingdom's preference for
"observer" status in the PDG.
SCHIEFFER