UPDATE ON OCTOBER 22-24 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON

UNCLAS TOKYO 002441 SIPDIS NSC FOR PAUL BROWN AND JONATHAN SHRIER CEQ FOR LANDON VAN DYKE DOT FOR LINDA LAWSON AND CAMILLE MITTELHOLTZ FAA FOR CARL BURLESON E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC ECON PREL ELTN EWWT EAIR SUBJECT: UPDATE ON OCTOBER 22-24 MINISTERIAL CONFERENCE ON GLOBAL ENERGY AND ENVIRONMENT IN TRANSPORTATION (MEET) IN TOKYO REF: TOKYO 1656 ¶1. (SBU) Summary: Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, Transportation and Tourism (MLIT) officials met with EMIN September 4 to review planning for the October 22-24 Ministerial Conference on Global Energy and Environment in Transportation (MEET) in Tokyo and push for senior USG (DOT or EPA) participation. At no time did they mention any connection between MEET and Japan's G-8 Presidency. End Summary. ¶2. (SBU) MLIT Policy Bureau International Policy Planning Unit Director Tadashi Shimura and MLIT Policy Bureau Director for International Policy Planning Shinji Nitta called on EMIN to share GOJ's current plans for the MEET conference that MLIT plans to hold October 22-24. Shimura provided the one-page "Concept of the MEET Ministerial Declaration", which he said MLIT Assistant Vice Minister Tamura had given DOT, DOS, and EPA officials during a trip to the U.S. in July. Shimura said he understood the USG had expressed strong interest in MEET during the July discussions, with Washington interlocutors saying they would help work for Cabinet-level participation. ¶3. (SBU) The MLIT official also requested USG input in Japan's August 26 draft of the MEET Ministerial Declaration, which includes input from approximately 10 countries. Developing countries in particular want to include language concerning special but differentiated treatment. The MLIT official said the GOJ is eager to finalize the draft, emphasizing they cut the draft's length by half and also made the document less prescriptive. EMIN noted Washington agencies were developing input that would be sent to the GOJ. He also noted the progress that had been made in the Major Economies Meeting (MEM),including on the role of emerging markets and other developing countries, and that the Ministry should continue to ensure MEET is consistent with the MEM and Toyako Summit declarations. ¶4. (SBU) Shimura noted MLIT hoped that DOT Secretary Peters and/or EPA Administrator Johnson would attend MEET, but understood the pressures on their schedules. He also said he hoped DOT and EPA could join State in sending representatives to the September 16-17 planning meeting and noted the Asia-Pacific Partnership (APP) Road Transport Sector Workshop will take place in Tokyo on September 18-19, immediately after the MEET planning meeting. Econoffs agreed to pass MLIT's message back to the concerned USG agencies. ZUMWALT