Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08CANBERRA647
2008-06-27 07:37:00
CONFIDENTIAL//NOFORN
Embassy Canberra
Cable title:  

CORRECTED COPY: AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS EXPANDED

Tags:  PREL MARR MOPS AS 
pdf how-to read a cable
P 270737Z JUN 08
FM AMEMBASSY CANBERRA
TO SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 9766
INFO AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY KABUL PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 
AMEMBASSY TOKYO PRIORITY 
SECDEF WASHINGTON DC PRIORITY
USMISSION USNATO PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000647 

NOFORN

STATE FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS AS
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS EXPANDED
JAPANESE ENGAGEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 68003


Classified By: Acting Political Counselor, John W. Crowley for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)

CORRECTED COPY: Reasons for Classification Provided.

C O N F I D E N T I A L CANBERRA 000647

NOFORN

STATE FOR EAP/ANP

E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/26/2018
TAGS: PREL MARR MOPS AS
SUBJECT: CORRECTED COPY: AUSTRALIA SUPPORTS EXPANDED
JAPANESE ENGAGEMENT IN AFGHANISTAN

REF: STATE 68003


Classified By: Acting Political Counselor, John W. Crowley for reasons
1.4 (b) and (d)

CORRECTED COPY: Reasons for Classification Provided.


1. (C/NF) Poloff confirmed Australia's support for current
and incremental Japanese engagement in Afghanistan in the
reftel demarche with Paul Robilliard, Assistant Secretary,
Afghanistan and Iraq Branch, Department of Foreign Affairs
(DFAT). Robilliard stated that the GOA welcomes and supports
Japan in taking a more active role in regional security
issues, including military and non-military activities in
Afghanistan.


2. (C/NF) DFAT was already aware of the reftel request, which
was delivered by the Pentagon earlier in the week to Steve
Merchant, Deputy Secretary Intelligence and Security Group,
Australian Defence Force, during his visit to Washington.
Robilliard said that Merchant agreed to review the USG points
and provide appropriate additional encouragement to the
Japanese upon his return to Australia. Robilliard
acknowledged that the GOA is sensitive to the GOJ's possible
domestic political resistance to providing additional
military engagement in Afghanistan.


3. (C/NF) Robilliard advised that he had been briefed
earlier in the week by the Japanese Embassy on the results of
their recent Afghan study of an expanded role. According to
Robilliard, the Japanese had examined a wider range of
possible contributions than were identified in reftel. He
did not comment on whether the Japanese Embassy had indicated
a preference. In that meeting, Robilliard advised the
Japanese Embassy that FM Smith would welcome existing and
additional contributions of engagement at this week's TSD
meetings in Japan, if the issue were raised.


4. (C/NF) Robilliard volunteered that he had also advised
the Japanese Embassy, and reiterated to Poloff, that current
GOA policy limits any further contributions by Australia in
Afghanistan. He specifically eliminated the possibility of
providing additional support in concert with any incremental
Japanese activities, as was done in Iraq for Japan's PRT.
Robilliard agreed to review the specific additional support
as laid out by the USG and to continue discussions with the
Japanese following the TSD to encourage their additional
engagement in Afghanistan.

MCCALLUM