JAPANESE VIEWS OF SITUATION IN PAKISTAN

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000071 SIPDIS SIPDIS PLEASE PASS TO AID/ANE JBEVER AND MWARD, AND AID/PPC DMENARCHIK AND NNICHOLSON E.O. 12958: DECL: 01/09/2018 TAGS: PREL EAID PK JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE VIEWS OF SITUATION IN PAKISTAN REF: A. 07 STATE 170928 ¶B. 07 TOKYO 5268 Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Joe Donovan for reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Japan shares the concerns and views of the United States, as expressed ref A, and agrees that efforts must be made to keep Pakistan on the path to democracy, according to Principal Deputy Director Masaki Ishikawa of MOFA's Southwest Asia Division. Ishikawa told Embassy Tokyo Political Officer January 9 that the recent events have not caused Japan to reconsider its pledges of aid to Pakistan, despite press reports indicating Tokyo is taking a close look at the status its assistance programs in light of worsening conditions. It is true, he said, that MOFA had originally taken a second look at recent commitments to increase aid to Pakistan last November following the declaration of a state of emergency (ref B),but given the facts that a firm date for elections had been announced, President Musharraf had resigned from the Army, and the state of emergency had been lifted, Tokyo decided to maintain its assistance at announced levels. Ishikawa said that any delays in implementing its assistance programs in Pakistan will be the result of technical difficulties, rather than policy considerations. ¶2. (C) Japan understood the need to postpone the election, said Ishikawa, noting the unstable situation and attacks on some polling stations immediately following the Bhutto assassination. Tokyo still plans to send a small team of five or six people to monitor the elections in February. Original plans called for this delegation to be led by a former Ambassador to Pakistan, but it is unclear now whether his schedule will permit him to travel in February. ¶3. (C) Ishikawa concluded that Japan hopes Pakistan and its people can overcome last month's tragedy and continue on the path to democracy, and that Japan remains committed to assisting them to do so. DONOVAN