Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
08TOKYO974
2008-04-09 08:17:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
JAPAN SEEKING TO DISCOURAGE MUGABE FROM ATTENDING
how-toVZCZCXRO7157 OO RUEHDU RUEHMR RUEHPA RUEHRN RUEHTRO DE RUEHKO #0974 1000817 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 090817Z APR 08 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 3309 INFO RUEHZO/AFRICAN UNION COLLECTIVE IMMEDIATE RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC IMMEDIATE
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000974
SIPDIS
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/08/2018
TAGS: PREL EAID XA ZI JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN SEEKING TO DISCOURAGE MUGABE FROM ATTENDING
TICAD IV
Classified By: Ambassador J.T. Schieffer for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)
(C) While Japan cannot disinvite any of the African heads of
state it has invited to the TICAD IV meeting next month in
Yokohama, it has been "diplomatically" attempting to
discourage Zimbabwean President Robert Mugabe from attending,
according to MOFA Senior Foreign Policy Coordinator Takehiro
Funakoshi. Funakoshi told visiting EAP/J Office Director
James Zumwalt April 9 that Japan is sensitive to our concerns
regarding Mugabe's participation at TICAD, but cannot single
him out for exclusion. However, Japan is making clear to the
Mugabe regime that if he comes, he will be given a very hard
time by his hosts about the conditions in his country. Tokyo
hopes these warnings will help to convince him not to attend.
Of course, the better outcome, agreed Funakoshi, would be
for the democratic process in Zimbabwe to take its course and
result in the seating of a new president following the recent
elections.
SCHIEFFER