REES-CAMPONOVO JAPAN MEETINGS ON APDP AND HUMAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002186 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: 08/08/2018 TAGS: PGOV PREL PHUM MG IR KN BM JA SUBJECT: REES-CAMPONOVO JAPAN MEETINGS ON APDP AND HUMAN RIGHTS TOKYO 00002186 001.2 OF 002 Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4 (b) and ( d). ¶1. (C) Summary: Strengthening and expanding the Asia Pacific Democracy Partnership (APDP) initiative will help achieve the shared goals of the United States and Japan of promoting universal values, human rights, and democracy in Asia, Ambassador Grover Joseph Rees and DRL Senior Advisor Christopher Camponovo told Japanese officials during July 30 Tokyo meetings. On APDP membership, their interlocutors stressed the importance of including as many members as possible and on forming transparent rules and procedures for joining. Rees and Camponovo suggested using the Community of Democracies membership as an initial APDP participant list. Turning to the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly and country-specific human rights resolutions, MOFA officials stated it would be difficult for Japan to have UN resolution suggestions drafted by September because Japan will be focused on the Human Rights Council. End Summary. ¶2. (C) Ambassador Rees and DRL Senior Advisor Camponovo briefed MOFA Oceanian Affairs Bureau Deputy Director-General Masahiro Kohara, Regional Policy Division officer Hideto Nakajima, Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs and special assistant to the MOFA Hideaki Ueda, and Foreign Policy Bureau Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division Deputy Director Yoko Tsuda on APDP progress and on possible country-specific human rights resolutions for the Third Committee of the UN General Assembly for Fall 2008. Rees and Camponovo thanked Japan for its support on APDP, expressed appreciation for Japan's financial support for election monitoring in Mongolia, and reiterated the value of creating a partnership of governments that focus on elections and election assistance. Strengthening Regional Architecture and Democratic Institutions in Asia -------------- -------------- ¶3. (C) It is important to support democratic institutions in Asia, and supporting free and fair electoral processes is one important step, Kohara stated. Japan welcomes U.S. long-term engagement in Asia via APDP, and APDP complements existing frameworks, especially since the U.S. is not a member of the East Asia Summit or ASEAN Plus Three, Kohara noted. ¶4. (C) Japan has sent election monitors to numerous countries in Asia and understands the importance of observing elections to ensure they are free and fair, Kohara stated. It is also important to promote the rule of law, independent media, and civil society and to provide assistance to build democratic institutions and systems in Asia, Kohara said. Strengthening human capacity building, ensuring transparent judicial systems, and stepping up efforts to eradicate corruption are also critical, he explained. ¶5. (C) Kohara noted that pushing or forcing other countries to accept our assistance will not help us achieve our shared goals. Each country requires a different approach due to its history, culture, and social situation, and the best way to achieve our shared goals is to have dialogue with developing countries because their processes to realize democracy are different, Kohara explained. Promoting Participation in APDP -------------- ¶6. (C) It is important to include as many members as possible in APDP and it should be an inclusive and open partnership, Kohara stated. Japan will not oppose a decision to base membership on certain conditions, but it is best to include as many participants as possible, Kohara noted. Strict membership requirements would not be appropriate, he emphasized. Some countries, such as Indonesia, are concerned APDP will be a "closed partnership," Kohara continued. Using the Community of Democracies membership as an APDP membership list would be one way to establish transparent participation conditions, Camponovo suggested. If the partnership is "too open" and includes countries such as Burma and North Korea, then "shared universal values" means nothing, Camponovo emphasized. The United States is open to inviting other countries to join, but there is a delicate balance between inclusive and "watering down the meaning" of APDP, he stated. Discussing specific conditions on joining the APDP initiative and promoting a transparent and inclusive TOKYO 00002186 002.2 OF 002 participation process is very important, Kohara replied. ¶7. (C) In response to Camponovo's question on whether Japan would be willing to host an APDP senior officials meeting this fall, Kohara stated that Japan's diplomatic schedule is very full and it would be difficult for Japan. Hosting even a small meeting in 2008 would not be feasible, Kohara said. Promoting democracy in Asia is very important to Japan and MOFA is always happy to have dialogue with the United States on this shared goal, Kohara added. UN General Assembly Third Committee and Human Rights Resolutions -------------- -------------- ¶8. (C) It is important for Japan and the United States to strategize together early on regarding country-specific human rights resolutions in the UN General Assembly Third Committee this fall, Rees told Ambassador Hideaki Ueda and Foreign Policy Bureau Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division Deputy Director Yoko Tsuda. We may need to include a resolution on Zimbabwe, and submit new resolutions on Iran, Burma, North Korea, and Belarus, Rees noted. Ueda responded that there will not be a drastic change in Japan's policy from last year, and agreed that it is important for Japan and the United States to cooperate closely on this. However, following the meeting Deputy Director Tsuda hinted it would be difficult for Japan to have UN resolution ideas drafted by September because Japan will very busy working with the Human Rights Council. North Korea, Abductions Issue, and the Six Party Talks -------------- -------------- ¶9. (C) North Korea has not fulfilled its June 2008 commitment to restart investigations on the Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, Ueda stated. The Japanese public was very angry the Japanese government softened its position and is skeptical about North Korea's intent, Ueda explained. In addition, the Japanese pubic disagree with the U.S. decision to possibly rescind North Korea's designation as a state sponsor of terror, Ueda emphasized. North Korea needs to make some progress on the abduction issue before Japan will provide financial compensation for Japan's colonization of Korea. ¶10. (C) The United States, in Six Party Talks meetings, has tried to make it clear that even if North Korea meets the expectations of the member countries on nuclear issues, it does not mean that all other issues are resolved, Rees replied. The United States still expects North Korea to fulfill its other responsibilities, he explained. The United States knows Japan is nervous North Korea will get a clean slate on all issues, including human rights, but the United States will not stop caring about human rights, Rees assured Ueda and Tsuda. Bio Note on Ambassador Hideaki Ueda -------------- ¶11. (C) After serving as ambassador to Australia from 2003-2007, Ueda officially retired from MOFA. MOFA requested he serve as "Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs" in 2008. Ueda simultaneously works at Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and is a visiting professor at a university in Kyoto. He is only in his MOFA office once a week. Ueda told Rees that Yamada Saiki handles the substance on abductee issues whereas Ueda fills in for Saiki at receptions on human rights and other social events. Ueda added that he also meets with the families of abductees. ¶12. (U) Ambassador Rees has cleared this cable. SCHIEFFER