GERMANS WILL ENGAGE JAPAN ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO

C O N F I D E N T I A L BERLIN 000839 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2018 TAGS: PREL SMIL MARR MOPS NATO AF AS CA GM IT FR JA SUBJECT: GERMANS WILL ENGAGE JAPAN ON CONTRIBUTIONS TO AFGHAN SECURITY REF: A. STATE 68003 ¶B. OTTAWA 868 Classified By: Political Minister-Counselor Jeffrey Rathke for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Post discussed Ref (A) points June 25 with Chancellery and Foreign Office officials. POL M/C raised the matter with Chancellery National Security Advisor Christoph Heusgen and Security Policy Director Geza von Geyr on the margins of their June 25 meeting with Secretary Rice. They supported the proposal to encourage Japan to take a greater security role in Afghanistan. Von Geyr said he would raise the matter with the Japanese Ambassador as soon as possible. ¶2. (C) Foreign Office Director for NATO Affairs Dirk Brengelmann likewise supported the U.S. proposal and said he would raise the points with Foreign Minister Steinmeier's staff (who were already on their way to the G-8 Foreign Ministerial). Brengelmann asked how likely the Japanese were to step up to a greater security role; POL M/C pointed out that the more interest key ISAF countries expressed, the greater the effect on Japanese deliberations was likely to be. TIMKEN JR