JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS SYRIAN COUNTERPART

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 003074

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/J AND NEA/ELA

E.O. 12958: DECL: 11/03/2018
TAGS: PREL SY IR LE IZ JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE FOREIGN MINISTER MEETS SYRIAN COUNTERPART

Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d
)


1. (C) SUMMARY: Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone
met October 18 with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Mualam in
Abu Dhabi on the sidelines of the BMENA Forum for the Future
meetings. According to MOFA, during the thirty minute
meeting FM Mualam briefed Nakasone on Syria's normalization
of ties with Lebanon, its Turkish-brokered talks with Israel,
and efforts Damascus is taking to be helpful on Iraq. For
his part, FM Nakasone urged Syria to play a constructive role
in bringing stability to the region, and to fully support the
international tribunal investigating the assassination of the
late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri. END SUMMARY.


2. (C) The request for the meeting was made by the Syrian
side one day prior, according to MOFA First Middle East
Division Principal Deputy Director Akihiro Tsuji. The
Japanese had their own list of possible ministerial bilats
during FM Nakasone's brief visit to Abu Dhabi, and Syria was
in the bottom half. However, as very few foreign ministers
attended the Forum for the Future meeting, a slot opened up
and the Japanese accepted the meeting. FM Nakasone was
accompanied by Director General for Middle Eastern and
African Affairs Toshiro Suzuki, First Middle East Division
Director Masahiro Mikami, and Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama.
FM Mualam was reportedly accompanied by Syria's Ambassador to
the UAE, the Director General for Arab Affairs, and the
director of the Foreign Minister's office.

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SYRIA: "WE'RE BEING HELPFUL"
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3. (C) FM Mualam briefed Nakasone on recent developments,
including the establishment of formal diplomatic ties with
Lebanon, reported Tsuji. He also talked about Syria's
Turkish-brokered negotiations with Israel, explaining that
four sessions had been held. A planned fifth round of talks
was postponed by the Israeli side due to their own domestic
political turmoil, and Syria is waiting for the Israeli side
to notify them of a new date. Mualam asked Nakasone whether
Japan could approach Israel and ask them to get the talks
back on track. Tsuji said he didn't think Japan has complied
with Mualam's request yet, but noted that Israeli MOFA
Director General Aharon Abramowitz is due in Tokyo on
November 19 for Political Director-level talks with Deputy
Foreign Minister Kenichiro Sasae. He thinks it possible that
Sasae may raise Syria's request at that time. Tsuji reported
Mualam told Nakasone that in Syria's view, it is a "must" for
the U.S. to participate in the Syria-Israeli talks, and
claimed that Secretary Rice has said the U.S. will take part.


4. (C) With regard to Iraq, Mualam told Nakasone that Syria
is making efforts to be cooperative, citing the recent
appointment of a Syrian Ambassador to Baghdad and the fact
that it is accepting large numbers of refugees, which are
taxing its own people, schools, hospitals, and other service
agencies. Mualam mentioned to Nakasone two recent terrorist
attacks which had taken place inside Syria, and although he
did not mention names, said he is sure both were committed by
the same group.

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JAPAN: "COOPERATE WITH HARIRI TRIBUNAL"
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5. (C) Nakasone thanked Mualam for the briefing, and urged
that Syria continue to play a more constructive role in the
pursuit of peace and stability for the region. He also told
Mualam, said Tsuji, that Syria must cooperate with the
international tribunal investigating the assassination of
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, and that it is
important that the facts of his death be fully investigated
and the truth made known. Syria should support the work of
the tribunal one hundred percent, said Nakasone.

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NEXT VISIT: "AFTER YOU"
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6. (C) Mualam closed the meeting by congratulating Nakasone
for Japan's victory over Iran in the contest for a revolving
seat on the Security Council. Mualam claimed that Syria has
supported Japan for a long time on this, but Tsuji noted the
Japanese do not know how the Syrians -- perhaps Iran's
closest friend -- voted in the General Assembly's secret
ballot. Mualam also invited Nakasone to visit Damascus, and
Nakasone reciprocated with an invitation of his own. They
bantered back and forth, with Mualam insisting that Nakasone
visit Damascus first. Tsuji said the Japanese have already
extended an invitation for Deputy Foreign Minister Faisal
Al-Miqdad to visit Tokyo, but the Syrians insist he will not
come until the Japanese visit Damascus. Tsuji told us Japan
has no plans at present to dispatch anyone to Syria on an
official visit.


SCHIEFFER