Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO3333
2008-12-08 08:07:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
ASO AND MEDVEDEV DISCUSS NORTHERN TERRITORIES
how-toVZCZCXRO0587 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #3333/01 3430807 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 080807Z DEC 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 9253 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 6698 RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 2645 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 2697 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 1293 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 3652 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 5084 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 1862 RHMFISS/USFJ PRIORITY RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RHHMUNA/HQ USPACOM HONOLULU HI PRIORITY RHMFISS/COMUSKOREA SEOUL KOR PRIORITY RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 2817 RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003333
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL JA RS KN
SUBJECT: ASO AND MEDVEDEV DISCUSS NORTHERN TERRITORIES
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003333
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL JA RS KN
SUBJECT: ASO AND MEDVEDEV DISCUSS NORTHERN TERRITORIES
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Japan PM Aso expressed concern with the pace
of working-level discussions on the Northern Territories
during talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the
margins of the November 22-23 APEC Summit in Lima, Peru.
Medvedev said a solution would require strong political will
by leaders on both sides, and he promised not to delay
resolution until the "next generation." MOFA officials feel
confident about Medvedev's commitment to resolve the issue,
but claim lower-level officials are not adequately informing
the President. Tokyo and Moscow plan additional talks on the
disputed islands during a DFM-level meeting which will
prepare for Prime Minister Putin's Tokyo visit, which both
sides agree should take place in early 2009. End Summary.
2. (C) On December 4, MOFA Russia Division Principal Deputy
Director Kotaro Otsuki briefed Embassy Tokyo on Prime
Minister Taro Aso's November 22 meeting with Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev, held on the margins of the
November 22-23 APEC Summit in Lima, Peru. Their one-hour
dialogue, which Otsuki characterized as "very frank" and
"straight-forward," focused primarily on the Northern
Territories (NT),but ended with a brief discussion on North
Korea. FM Sergey Lavrov accompanied President Medvedev.
--------------
Northern Territories
--------------
3. (C) The Prime Minister observed to Medvedev that, during
the period he served as Foreign Minister in PM Shintaro Abe's
Cabinet, the Tokyo-Moscow economic relationship had greatly
expanded, but that talks on the NT had not advanced as
quickly. According to Otsuki, Aso expressed interest in
concluding a Japan-Russia peace treaty for the purpose of
resolving the NT situation. The PM noted his agreement with
views expressed by Medvedev to former PM Yasuo Fukuda on the
margins of the July 2008 Lake Toya G-8 Summit, in which both
sides agreed not to shelve the issue and to push for "the
settlement of the issue at the earliest date in order to
normalize bilateral relations completely." Aso said,
however, Medvedev's "decisive leadership had not yet affected
the working-level negotiations," and that there was a "need
to break down the mentality of bureaucrats," Otsuki reported.
4. (C) Medvedev responded, according to Otsuki, "the issue
would not be postponed to the next generation." Noting
bureaucratic resistance existed in all countries, the
President stated "the important thing is for leaders to have
political will. If leaders have such will, they will solve
the problem." Medvedev, Otsuki continued, opined the
solution to the NT issue should be based on the documents
which we have agreed to so far. (Note: Otsuki said Medvedev
was referring to the 1956 Joint Declaration, 1993 Tokyo
Declaration, 2001 Irkutsk Statement, 2003 Action Plan, and
other agreements.)
--------------
Medvedev Not Well-Informed
--------------
5. (C) Japanese officials remain confident Medvedev has the
will to resolve the NT problem and is eager to address the
issue, Otsuki stated. He observed, however, the Russian
President did not appear have been receiving good information
on the working-level talks and did not appear to be well
informed. Otsuki also confirmed a November 24 Sankei Shimbun
On-line story reporting on Aso's exchange with the Russian
President regarding the NT. According to Sankei, when the PM
noted that Japan's Foreign Ministry had been expressing
irritation at the stagnation of discussions at the working
level, Medvedev turned to FM Lavrov and others and said, "So
it is your fault then," which provoked a "great burst of
laughter."
--------------
TOKYO 00003333 002 OF 002
Putin Visit
--------------
6. (C) Tokyo and Moscow plan to hold additional talks on the
NT during a Deputy Foreign Minister-level meeting to prepare
for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan, now
scheduled to take place in early 2009. President Medvedev's
Chief of Staff, Sergey Naryshkin, will also visit December
9-10.
--------------
North Korea
--------------
7. (C) During brief talks on the DPRK, both sides agreed on
the importance of a denuclearized North Korea and documenting
an effective verification regime.
SCHIEFFER
SIPDIS
MOSCOW PASS VLADIVOSTOK
HELSINKI PASS ST. PETERSBURG
E.O. 12958: DECL: 12/07/2016
TAGS: PREL JA RS KN
SUBJECT: ASO AND MEDVEDEV DISCUSS NORTHERN TERRITORIES
Classified By: Ambassador J. Thomas Schieffer per 1.4 (B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Japan PM Aso expressed concern with the pace
of working-level discussions on the Northern Territories
during talks with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on the
margins of the November 22-23 APEC Summit in Lima, Peru.
Medvedev said a solution would require strong political will
by leaders on both sides, and he promised not to delay
resolution until the "next generation." MOFA officials feel
confident about Medvedev's commitment to resolve the issue,
but claim lower-level officials are not adequately informing
the President. Tokyo and Moscow plan additional talks on the
disputed islands during a DFM-level meeting which will
prepare for Prime Minister Putin's Tokyo visit, which both
sides agree should take place in early 2009. End Summary.
2. (C) On December 4, MOFA Russia Division Principal Deputy
Director Kotaro Otsuki briefed Embassy Tokyo on Prime
Minister Taro Aso's November 22 meeting with Russian
President Dmitry Medvedev, held on the margins of the
November 22-23 APEC Summit in Lima, Peru. Their one-hour
dialogue, which Otsuki characterized as "very frank" and
"straight-forward," focused primarily on the Northern
Territories (NT),but ended with a brief discussion on North
Korea. FM Sergey Lavrov accompanied President Medvedev.
--------------
Northern Territories
--------------
3. (C) The Prime Minister observed to Medvedev that, during
the period he served as Foreign Minister in PM Shintaro Abe's
Cabinet, the Tokyo-Moscow economic relationship had greatly
expanded, but that talks on the NT had not advanced as
quickly. According to Otsuki, Aso expressed interest in
concluding a Japan-Russia peace treaty for the purpose of
resolving the NT situation. The PM noted his agreement with
views expressed by Medvedev to former PM Yasuo Fukuda on the
margins of the July 2008 Lake Toya G-8 Summit, in which both
sides agreed not to shelve the issue and to push for "the
settlement of the issue at the earliest date in order to
normalize bilateral relations completely." Aso said,
however, Medvedev's "decisive leadership had not yet affected
the working-level negotiations," and that there was a "need
to break down the mentality of bureaucrats," Otsuki reported.
4. (C) Medvedev responded, according to Otsuki, "the issue
would not be postponed to the next generation." Noting
bureaucratic resistance existed in all countries, the
President stated "the important thing is for leaders to have
political will. If leaders have such will, they will solve
the problem." Medvedev, Otsuki continued, opined the
solution to the NT issue should be based on the documents
which we have agreed to so far. (Note: Otsuki said Medvedev
was referring to the 1956 Joint Declaration, 1993 Tokyo
Declaration, 2001 Irkutsk Statement, 2003 Action Plan, and
other agreements.)
--------------
Medvedev Not Well-Informed
--------------
5. (C) Japanese officials remain confident Medvedev has the
will to resolve the NT problem and is eager to address the
issue, Otsuki stated. He observed, however, the Russian
President did not appear have been receiving good information
on the working-level talks and did not appear to be well
informed. Otsuki also confirmed a November 24 Sankei Shimbun
On-line story reporting on Aso's exchange with the Russian
President regarding the NT. According to Sankei, when the PM
noted that Japan's Foreign Ministry had been expressing
irritation at the stagnation of discussions at the working
level, Medvedev turned to FM Lavrov and others and said, "So
it is your fault then," which provoked a "great burst of
laughter."
--------------
TOKYO 00003333 002 OF 002
Putin Visit
--------------
6. (C) Tokyo and Moscow plan to hold additional talks on the
NT during a Deputy Foreign Minister-level meeting to prepare
for Prime Minister Vladimir Putin's visit to Japan, now
scheduled to take place in early 2009. President Medvedev's
Chief of Staff, Sergey Naryshkin, will also visit December
9-10.
--------------
North Korea
--------------
7. (C) During brief talks on the DPRK, both sides agreed on
the importance of a denuclearized North Korea and documenting
an effective verification regime.
SCHIEFFER