JAPAN-RUSSIA DISCUSS POSSIBLE PUTIN VISIT TO TOKYO

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 001606 SIPDIS STATE PASS EEB/IEC/ENR HENGEL AND HAYMOND MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK HELSINKI PASS ST PETERSBURG E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/12/2016 TAGS: PREL ECON ETRD JA RS XH KN SUBJECT: JAPAN-RUSSIA DISCUSS POSSIBLE PUTIN VISIT TO TOKYO REF: A. TOKYO 1074 ¶B. TOKYO1095 ¶C. 07 TOKYO 2690 ¶D. 07 TOKYO 5270 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer. Reasons 1.4 (B) (D) ¶1. (C) Summary. Japan and Russia discussed, but did not set dates for, a possible Tokyo visit by Prime Minister Vladimir Putin during a June 3 Deputy Foreign Ministers' meeting in Tokyo. During discussions designed to set a positive tone for the July 7-9 G-8 meeting at Hokkaido's Lake Toya, the DFMs reviewed prospects for developing the continental shelf near the Southern Kurile Islands and discussed a framework for continued cooperation under the Initiative for Strengthening Japan-Russia Cooperation in the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia. The Russian delegation did not raise concerns about Japan's ballistic missile defense (BMD) system or United States-Japan BMD cooperation. Japan made no progress toward resolving the dispute over the Northern Territories. In brief discussions on North Korea, DFM Borodavkin said he was "not optimistic" about prospects for achieving progress in the Six-Party Talks, but noted Russia did not want North Korea to be a nuclear state. End Summary. ¶2. (C) On June 9, Russia Division Principal Deputy Director Kotaro Otsuki briefed Embassy Tokyo on discussions between Deputy Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexei Borodavkin, which were held in Tokyo on June 3. Tokyo and Moscow agreed to conduct the talks, which were designed to set a positive tone for the July 7-9 G-8 summit meeting at Hokkaido's Lake Toya, during Foreign Minister Masahiko Koumura's April visit to Russia (Ref A). According to Otsuki, the two men, whose six-hour conversation included a working dinner, focused mainly on bilateral relations, with a small amount of time devoted to North Korea. The Russian delegation did not raise concerns, expressed most recently by Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov (Ref B),regarding Japan's ballistic missile defense (BMD) system or United States-Japan BMD cooperation. -------------- Political Dialogue -------------- ¶3. (C) The two delegations discussed a number of possible visits by Russian officials to Tokyo, including Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, Deputy Premier Sergey Ivanov, FM Lavrov and Industry and Trade Minister Viktor Khristenko, Otsuki reported. No dates have been set for any of the proposed visits. FM Koumura invited Lavrov to Japan last April. The Ministers discussed programs on bilateral nuclear cooperation, mutual legal assistance, and youth exchanges. -------------- Northern Territories -------------- ¶4. (C) Sasae and Borodavkin reviewed, but made no progress toward resolving, the dispute over the Northern Territories. The Russian side, according to Otsuki, maintained its previous position, while the foreign ministry expressed concern and raised questions regarding the intent of Moscow's decision to increase the level of economic development on the islands. -------------- Economic, Energy Cooperation -------------- TOKYO 00001606 002 OF 002 ¶5. (C) The two men, Otsuki related, reviewed prospects for developing the continental shelf near the Southern Kurile Islands and discussed a framework for continued cooperation under the Initiative for Strengthening Japan-Russia Cooperation in the Russian Far East and Eastern Siberia - a Tokyo initiative presented to Moscow on the margins of the June 2007 Heiligendamm G-8 Summit. Otsuki pointed out that Russia has not yet appointed a permanent representative to co-chair a joint intergovernmental committee to foster cooperation under the initiative. During a brief conversation on energy, Borodavkin expressed interest in importing energy saving and environmentally friendly technology from Japan. -------------- Transportation -------------- ¶6. (C) The Deputy Ministers shared views on Russia,s intense interest, as related by Otsuki, in developing rail transportation in Russia. Moscow hopes to develop: a) trans-Siberian rail lines to carry cargo east and west, and b) a high-speed rail link (Refs C, D). -------------- North Korea -------------- ¶7. (C) Borodavkin said he was "not optimistic" about achieving progress in the Six-Party Talks, but noted Russia does not want North Korea to be a nuclear state. Sasae stressed the importance of obtaining a clear and complete nuclear declaration. Otsuki noted the DPRK conversation was limited, but that Borodavkin held more comprehensive talks on North Korea with Asian and Oceanian Affairs Director-General Akitaka Saiki during the visit. SCHIEFFER