Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO574
2008-03-04 08:57:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

JAPAN AGREES WITH USG POSITION ON TAIWAN OECD

Tags:  PREL ECON JA CM TW OECD 
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VZCZCXYZ0749
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #0574 0640857
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 040857Z MAR 08
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 2238
INFO RUEHSS/OECD POSTS COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING IMMEDIATE 2028
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW IMMEDIATE 2153
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS IMMEDIATE
RUEHIN/AIT TAIPEI IMMEDIATE 6922
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK IMMEDIATE 8669
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000574 

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS PASS USOECD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2028
TAGS: PREL ECON JA CM TW OECD
SUBJECT: JAPAN AGREES WITH USG POSITION ON TAIWAN OECD
PARTICIPATION

REF: STATE 20058

Classified By: Amb. J. Thomas Schieffer. Reason: 1.4 (b,d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000574

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PARIS PASS USOECD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/04/2028
TAGS: PREL ECON JA CM TW OECD
SUBJECT: JAPAN AGREES WITH USG POSITION ON TAIWAN OECD
PARTICIPATION

REF: STATE 20058

Classified By: Amb. J. Thomas Schieffer. Reason: 1.4 (b,d)


1. (C) Japan agrees with the U.S. position that the
OECD should continue to adhere to the guidelines for
Taiwan's participation in the OECD as laid out in the
1995 letter to the Chinese from then-OECD Secretary
General Paye, according to Ministry of Foreign Affairs
(MOFA) OECD Office Deputy Director Yasushi Nakamura.
Meeting with econoffs March 3 to receive reftel
demarche, Nakamura said Japan believes there is no
reason to comply with China's request for a new
memorandum of understanding between the OECD and China
regarding Taiwan's participation in the organization.
He urged that USOECD follow up with the Japanese
Mission to discuss this question further in Paris.


2. (C) Nakamura indicated the Japanese see China as
unenthusiastic about cooperation with the OECD. He
cited as an example the relatively low-level reception
given OECD Deputy Secretary-General Thelma Askey
during the latter's December visit to Beijing. (Note:
According to the website of the Chinese State
Council's Development Research Center (DRC),Askey met
December 7 with DRC International Cooperation
Department Director-General Sun Lanlan. End note.)


3. (C) Comment: Although the Japanese accept the
U.S. argument on Taiwan participation in the OECD,
they will probably need to see a clear consensus
within the organization behind this position before
joining any effort to press the Secretariat to resist
China's demands for a new memorandum of understanding.
The Japanese will particularly want to avoid being
caught in a situation which will put them in direct
opposition to China on a point related to the
hypersensitive issue of Taiwan in advance of a visit
by Chinese President Hu Jintao later in the spring.
End comment.
SCHIEFFER