(U) Secretary Rice's February 27, 2008, Meeting

S E C R E T PARTO 022807

(Note: the unique message record number (MRN) has been modified. The original MRN was 08 PARTO 000007, which duplicates a previous PARTO telegram number.)

SIPDIS

C O R R E C T E D C O P Y (SUBJECT)

STATE PASS UTSR FOR AMB. SCHWAB
STATE ALSO PASS USDA FOR SECRETARY SCHAFER
USFJ FOR LTGEN RICE

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/27/2028
TAGS: OVIP RICE CONDOLEEZZA PREL ECON MOPS PHUM
JA, KS, KN, BM
SUBJECT: (U) Secretary Rice's February 27, 2008, Meeting
with Japanese Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura

(U) Classified by: Uzra Zeya, Deputy Executive
Secretary, S/ES, Department of State. Reasons 1.4 (b)
and (d)


1. (U) February 27, 2008; 6:00 p.m.; Tokyo, Japan


2. (U) Participants:

United States
The Secretary
Amb. J. Thomas Schieffer
A/S Sean McCormack, PA
Lt Gen William Fraser, III, Assistant to the Chairman,
JCS
NSC Senior Director for East Asian Affairs Dennis Wilder
Paul Hersey, Interpreter
Chris Wurzel, Notetaker

Japan
Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura
Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae
Akitaka Saiki, Director General, Asian and Oceanic
Affairs, MOFA
Shinichi Nishimiya, Director General, North American
Affairs, MOFA
Kanji Yamanouchi, Director, First North American
Division, MOFA
Makita Shimokawa, Private Secretary to FM Koumura
Shuji Maeda, Interpreter
Shogo Yoshitake, Notetaker


3. (S) SUMMARY. In response to Secretary Rice's
expression of deep regret over the recent Okinawa rape
incident, Foreign Minister Koumura called for
"coordinated, comprehensive, and continuous" measures to
prevent such incidents in the future. The Secretary and
the Foreign Minister stressed the importance of
implementing the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan and
of deepening the alliance. They also agreed on the need
for a complete and accurate declaration by North Korea
regarding its nuclear program and on the value of
trilateral cooperation with South Korea and Australia.
Secretary Rice asked Japan to initiate a dialogue with
Burmese opposition groups in addition to measures already
taken against the ruling junta. Koumura noted he had
personally pressed the Burmese to accept an early visit
by UN Special Envoy Gambari but suggested China's
influence in Burma may exceed Japan's. He also urged the
United States not to oppose Prime Minister Fukuda's
proposal, included in a letter to President Bush, to seek
approval from the GOJ's Food Safety Commission to allow
imports of U.S. beef from cattle under 30 months old.
END SUMMARY.

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Okinawa Rape Incident
--------------


4. (C) Secretary Rice expressed deep regret for the
rape incident in Okinawa and stressed U.S. concern for
the welfare of the Japanese girl concerned. She added
the United States hoped justice would be done and noted
the decision by U.S. Forces Japan (USFJ) to establish a
task force to address the issues arising from the case.
Koumura expressed appreciation for the fast public

response by Amb. Schieffer and USFJ in response to the
rape case but called for "coordinated, comprehensive, and
continuous" measures to prevent future such incidents.

--------------
U.S.-Japan Alliance
--------------


5. (C) Koumura reaffirmed Japanese support for the
alliance despite the recent incident in Okinawa and noted
security cooperation had deepened between the United
States and Japan. He indicated that, although the
National Diet had approved the Special Measures Law
reauthorizing refueling operations by the Maritime Self-
Defense Force (SDF) in the Indian Ocean, the Japanese
government was still consulting internally about the
General SDF Dispatch Law, with the current situation in
the Diet leading to uncertainty about its passage.
Nevertheless, Koumura said Japan would continue security
cooperation with the United States to the extent allowed
under the existing legal framework. In addition,
Japanese determination to work with the United States to
carry out the realignment of U.S. forces in Japan had not
changed. The Secretary emphasized the importance of
implementing the Defense Policy Review Initiative and
expressed appreciation for passage of the Special
Measures Law and other cooperative efforts by Japan.

--------------
Six-Party Talks
--------------

6. (S) Secretary Rice noted North Korea had made
progress in fulfilling its denuclearization commitments
by completing Phase I with the shutdown of the Yongbyon
nuclear reactor. Disabling of the reactor was underway
but not yet complete. The next important step would be a
complete and current declaration of North Korea's nuclear
facilities. In Phase III, we would require an accounting
for and elimination of the fissile material extracted
from the reactor. The Secretary stressed the
participants in the Six-Party Talks needed to work on
North Korea to produce a declaration that created
confidence regarding how North Korea may have engaged in
nuclear proliferation in the past as well as what its
future potential for proliferation might be. She also
acknowledged Japanese concerns about the possible U.S.
delisting of North Korea as a state sponsor of terrorism
without resolution of the issue of the abductions of
Japanese citizens by North Korean agents. Koumura agreed
North Korea must provide a complete and accurate
declaration regarding its nuclear program. He stressed
JapanFs deep concerns over the possible U.S. delisting of
North Korea from the group of state sponsors of terrorism
and noted that JapanFs efforts to engage the North
Koreans on the issue had been disappointing.

--------------
Burma
--------------


7. (C) The Secretary said the Burmese junta's plan for
constitutional reform would marginalize Burmese
opposition groups and could not be taken seriously.
Acknowledging Japan's decision to suspend development aid

and discourage investment, she observed it would be
helpful if Japan would also initiate a dialogue with the
Burmese opposition. She noted UN Special Envoy Ibrahim
Gambari would return to Burma soon and stressed that all
concerned countries should assist Burma to realize
genuine national reconciliation. Koumura recounted he
had personally pressed the Burmese foreign minister to
accept a visit by Gambari before April. He added Chinese
State Councilor Tang Jiaxuan, who had recently visited
Japan, told him the Burmese would accept a visit from
Gambari in early March, about which the Japanese had been
unaware. Koumura suggested Tang's statement indicated
China had more leverage with the Burmese than Japan.
Secretary Rice emphasized Japan also had influence that
would be important to use to help Burma. Koumura noted
Gambari was the only international figure with access
both to the Burmese junta and the opposition, including
Aung San Suu Kyi, and said the international community
should be united in support for his efforts.

--------------
Strategic Dialogue with Korea, Australia
--------------


8. (C) With the inauguration of the new government in
South Korea, the Secretary suggested the possibility of
reinvigorating trilateral discussions with Japan and
South Korea as well as holding another trilateral meeting
with Koumura and the new Australian foreign minister.
She also encouraged Japan to reach out to NATO. Koumura
said Japan-South Korea relations had entered a new stage
with the inauguration of President Lee Myung-bak and the
bilateral summit with PM Fukuda on February 25. He
indicated Japan looked forward to coordinating with the
South Korea on North Korea and other issues. He noted
Japan was looking for more dialogue with NATO. Koumura
also offered to host trilateral strategic talks with the
United States and Australia on the margins of the G8
Foreign Ministers' meeting in June. He added that Japan
hoped to discuss Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iran, and North
Korea at that meeting in order to form common positions
on those countries as well as to establish ways to
strengthen cooperation on issues such as the environment,
climate change, and African development prior to the G8
Summit.

--------------
Beef
--------------


9. (C) Acknowledging the U.S. desire for Japan to
accept international standards for the import of U.S.
beef, Koumura said the best way to move toward this
result, as outlined in the letter from PM Fukuda to
President Bush, would be for Japan to send a request to
the Japanese Food Safety Commission to consider
importation of U.S. beef from cattle up to 30 months of
age in the hope of achieving a decision prior to the G8
Summit in July. It was important, however, that the
United States not oppose this decision. Agreeing it
would be good if the beef issue could be resolved before
the G8, the Secretary indicated she would convey
Koumura's message to U.S. Trade Representative Schwab and
Agriculture Secretary Schafer.
RICE