U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH JAPANESE DEPUTY FOREIGN

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 CANBERRA 000414

SIPDIS

STATE ALSO FOR P, CA/OCS, EAP, NEA, SA, ISN AND IO
PACOM ALSO FOR POLAD

E.O. 12958: DECL: 04/23/2019
TAGS: CASC KNNP MOPS PARM PHUM PREF PREL PTER AS JP
SUBJECT: U/S BURNS' MEETING WITH JAPANESE DEPUTY FOREIGN
MINISTER SASAE, APRIL 21, 2009, CANBERRA

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Classified By: CDA Daniel A. Clune. Reasons: 1.4 (b),(d),(f),(h)


1. (C) Summary: During a bilateral meeting on the margins
of the U.S.-Australia-Japan Trilateral Strategic Dialogue
(TSD) Senior Officials Meeting in Canberra on April 21, Under
Secretary Bill Burns and Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister
Kenichiro Sasae agreed that the United States and Japan would
start planning for next year's 50th anniversary of the
U.S.-Japan alliance. DFM Sasae said Japan took parental
child abductions seriously and was reviewing its approach to
the issue. U/S Burns and DFM Sasae lauded the usefulness of
the October 2008 U.S.-Japan-ROK strategic talks and agreed to
meet again in a trilateral format with the ROK in autumn

2009. The idea of U.S.-Japan-China talks warranted further
consideration and discussion. Acknowledging U.S. concerns
about the visit, Sasae said Japanese Foreign Minister
Nakasone would use his upcoming visit to Iran to press Iran
to comply with its nuclear obligations, to release detained
Amcit Roxanna Saberi, and to provide constructive assistance
to Afghanistan. The U.S. and Japan agreed to continued close
consultations on DPRK, UN Security Council reform, Somali
piracy, and Burma. End Summary

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U.S.-Japan alliance
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2. (SBU) Pointing out that 2010 would be the 50th
anniversary of the U.S.-Japan alliance, Deputy Foreign
Minister Sasae said Japan would like to start planning for
commemorative celebrations, including a possible presidential
visit to Japan.

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Parental Child Abduction
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2. (C) DFM Sasae said after U/S Burns had called his
attention to the issue of parental child abduction at their
previous meeting in Sicily, he had researched the issue and
wanted to assure the USG that the Japanese government took
the issue seriously. The GOJ was reviewing its approach to
parental child abduction but the Japanese civil courts had
jurisdiction over the issue. Moreover, the notion of joint
custody did not exist in Japanese law. Even if Japan were to
accede to the Hague Convention on the Civil Aspects of
Parental Child Abduction, the GOJ would have to review the
question of implementing the Convention in relation to
Japanese domestic law. U/S Burns said he appreciated Japan's
commitment to addressing the issue.

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Q --------------
ROK/China
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3. (C) DFM Sasae said Japan was pleased with the
U.S.-Japan-ROK strategic talk held in October 2008 and looked
forward to holding another trilateral talk this autumn. He
said Japan would like to discuss with the United States the
idea of a U.S.-Japan-China trilateral talk. Although Japan
would need to review the idea further, Sasae believed it
could be a meaningful process depending on the topic of
discussion, and suggested environment as a possible topic.


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DPRK
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4. (C) Noting they had already discussed North Korea
extensively in the TSD (septel),U/S Burns and DFM Sasae
reiterated their mutual appreciation for the high-level
U.S.-Japanese cooperation in New York that secured the strong
Presidential Statement adopted by the UN Security Council
condemning the April 5 DPRK missile launch. They agreed that
future dialogue with North Korea would be increasingly
difficult and pledged continued close U.S.-Japan
consultations at all levels.

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Iran
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5. (C) After U/S Burns stressed U.S. concerns about the
potential for Iran's misreading high-level visits at this
stage, DFM Sasae explained that Japanese Foreign Minister
Nakasone's upcoming May 2 visit to Iran was part of Japan's
ongoing bilateral dialogue with Iran, pointing out Iranian
foreign ministers had previously visited Japan but Japan had
not reciprocated. Sasae said Japan viewed its engagement
with Iran as an opportunity to press Iran to comply with its
nuclear obligations and to be constructive on Afghanistan,
particularly on curtailing narcotics trafficking,
strengthening border control, and providing refugee
assistance. Prior to departing for Iran, FM Nakasone planned
to speak to Secretary Clinton to see whether the United
States wanted him to deliver any messages to Iran.


6. (C) U/S Burns stressed the importance of conveying that
now was the time for Iran to make a choice on "freeze for
freeze," which was not a new initiative but a diplomatic
offer that had been on the table for some time. Burns said
Japan could also be helpful by pressing hard, prior to FM
Nakasone's visit, the issue of detained American citizen
Roxanna Saberi. There was no basis for her detention and
Iran needed to hear from Japan as well as others that
responsible states did not conduct themselves in this way.
Burns said the international community would need to discuss
a united response should Iran not respond positively to
diplomatic overtures. We wanted to work closely with Japan
and others for stepping up pressure, if necessary. He
pointed out that any assistance Iran rendered to Afghanistan
was in Iran's self interest and should not be characterized
as a "favor" to the United States or international community.

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UNSC Reform
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7. (C) DFM Sasae thanked the United States for its
longstanding support of Japan's campaign for permanent UN
Qlongstanding support of Japan's campaign for permanent UN
Security Council membership. He noted European countries
were in favor of an interim solution, and said Japan would
not reject an interim solution as long as it did not rule out
a future permanent seat for Japan. Sasae pressed U/S Burns
to expedite the U.S. review of its Security Council reform
policy. He hoped that the United States could be proactive
in proposing a solution and that the United States and Japan
would be able to draft a common position. U/S Burns affirmed

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that the United States review was ongoing but promised
continued consultation.

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Somali Piracy/Burma
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8. (C) U/S Burns thanked DFM Sasae for Japan's ideas on
Somali piracy that focused on broader regional engagement
that Japan had raised in Sicily. He said the United States
in the next ten days would be previewing more concrete ideas
on the issue. Sasae noted that we would need to be mindful
of Italian interests but said Japan remained open to
contributing to any collective effort on piracy. Burns
agreed that international cooperation was essential.


9. (C) Sasae, noting Japan's interest in limiting Chinese
influence in Burma, advised that he was seeking meetings with
military officials in Burma. He then asked about the
progress of the review of U.S. Burma policy. U/S Burns
replied that while the United States was looking at new
approaches to influence the Burmese regime, the U.S. remained
committed to the goal of a free and democratic Burma that
respected the rights of its citizens and regional stability.

CLUNE