Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TELAVIV818
2008-04-08 11:59:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tel Aviv
Cable title:
JAPAN ENVOY: ISRAEL COOPERATING ON INDUSTRIAL PARK
how-toVZCZCXRO6222 PP RUEHBC RUEHDE RUEHKUK RUEHROV DE RUEHTV #0818 0991159 ZNY CCCCC ZZH P 081159Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY TEL AVIV TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 6231 INFO RUEHEE/ARAB LEAGUE COLLECTIVE RUEHKO/AMEMBASSY TOKYO 0450
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000818
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID KWBG AL JA SY LY IZ IS
SUBJECT: JAPAN ENVOY: ISRAEL COOPERATING ON INDUSTRIAL PARK
REF: STATE 31417
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
C O N F I D E N T I A L TEL AVIV 000818
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID KWBG AL JA SY LY IZ IS
SUBJECT: JAPAN ENVOY: ISRAEL COOPERATING ON INDUSTRIAL PARK
REF: STATE 31417
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Japanese Envoy to the Middle East Ambassador Tatsuo
Arima met with Ambassador Jones on April 1 to discuss the
Arab League Summit and progress on the planned Japanese
industrial park outside of Jericho. The Ambassador also
updated Arima on the recent visit of the Secretary. Arima
said that planning for the industrial park is going well, and
the Israelis are being very supportive. Most of the work
with Israel and the Palestinians has been behind the scenes,
Arima explained, which is how Japan prefers to work. He
expected their feasibility report to be ready just before the
G-8 summit in June.
2. (C) Ambassador Arima arrived in Israel from the Arab
League Summit in Damascus, which Arima said Syrian President
Bashar al-Asad was relieved he pulled off. Ambassador Jones
noted that the situation in Gaza had probably helped make the
summit easier for Asad. Arima explained that he attended the
summit, his fifth, as an invited observer of the Arab League.
Arima believed that he made the correct decision to
participate (reftel),but made clear he was a guest of the
Arab League and not Syria. The proceedings at the summit
were mostly behind closed doors and, unlike in previous
meetings, observers were not allowed to speak. The Japanese
did, however, circulate their statement, which supported the
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and Abu Mazen's government.
3. (C) The main drama at the summit was Iraq's objections to
the final statement, which expressed concern about terror but
did not specifically condemn terror in Iraq. Arima said that
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also privately cautioned
the Iraqi Vice-President against allowing armed militias to
exist outside of government control, a mistake the
Palestinian Authority had made. The most interesting
speaker, Arima said, was Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qadhafi,
even if he did not completely make sense. Qadhafi lamented
that the Arabs are not united, with some Arab countries (i.e.
Syria) even getting along better with Iran than their fellow
Arabs. Qadhafi then added that because 70 percent of Arabs
are (North) African, the entire Arab world should join the
Africans. Arima added this was the first time he saw Qadhafi
stay through the closing session.
4. (C) Ambassador Jones also gave Arima a readout on the
recent visit of the Secretary to Israel. The Ambassador
pointed out that we are beginning to see results, largely
because of our continuous efforts and General Fraser's
credible and direct Roadmap monitoring efforts. Arima
reiterated Japan's support for U.S. efforts, which he sees as
more rooted in political reality than in 2000.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID KWBG AL JA SY LY IZ IS
SUBJECT: JAPAN ENVOY: ISRAEL COOPERATING ON INDUSTRIAL PARK
REF: STATE 31417
Classified By: Ambassador Richard H. Jones for Reasons 1.4 (b) and (d).
1. (C) Japanese Envoy to the Middle East Ambassador Tatsuo
Arima met with Ambassador Jones on April 1 to discuss the
Arab League Summit and progress on the planned Japanese
industrial park outside of Jericho. The Ambassador also
updated Arima on the recent visit of the Secretary. Arima
said that planning for the industrial park is going well, and
the Israelis are being very supportive. Most of the work
with Israel and the Palestinians has been behind the scenes,
Arima explained, which is how Japan prefers to work. He
expected their feasibility report to be ready just before the
G-8 summit in June.
2. (C) Ambassador Arima arrived in Israel from the Arab
League Summit in Damascus, which Arima said Syrian President
Bashar al-Asad was relieved he pulled off. Ambassador Jones
noted that the situation in Gaza had probably helped make the
summit easier for Asad. Arima explained that he attended the
summit, his fifth, as an invited observer of the Arab League.
Arima believed that he made the correct decision to
participate (reftel),but made clear he was a guest of the
Arab League and not Syria. The proceedings at the summit
were mostly behind closed doors and, unlike in previous
meetings, observers were not allowed to speak. The Japanese
did, however, circulate their statement, which supported the
Israeli-Palestinian negotiations and Abu Mazen's government.
3. (C) The main drama at the summit was Iraq's objections to
the final statement, which expressed concern about terror but
did not specifically condemn terror in Iraq. Arima said that
Palestinian negotiator Saeb Erekat also privately cautioned
the Iraqi Vice-President against allowing armed militias to
exist outside of government control, a mistake the
Palestinian Authority had made. The most interesting
speaker, Arima said, was Libyan Leader Muammar al-Qadhafi,
even if he did not completely make sense. Qadhafi lamented
that the Arabs are not united, with some Arab countries (i.e.
Syria) even getting along better with Iran than their fellow
Arabs. Qadhafi then added that because 70 percent of Arabs
are (North) African, the entire Arab world should join the
Africans. Arima added this was the first time he saw Qadhafi
stay through the closing session.
4. (C) Ambassador Jones also gave Arima a readout on the
recent visit of the Secretary to Israel. The Ambassador
pointed out that we are beginning to see results, largely
because of our continuous efforts and General Fraser's
credible and direct Roadmap monitoring efforts. Arima
reiterated Japan's support for U.S. efforts, which he sees as
more rooted in political reality than in 2000.
********************************************* ********************
Visit Embassy Tel Aviv's Classified Website:
http://www.state.sgov.gov/p/nea/telaviv
You can also access this site through the State Department's
Classified SIPRNET website.
********************************************* ********************
JONES