IAEA: JAPAN PROMISES STRONG STATEMENTS ON SYRIA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 001335 SIPDIS DOE FOR NA-20 BAKER AND NA-24 WHITNEY E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/11/2019 TAGS: KNNP PARM IAEA MNUC TRGY JA SUBJECT: IAEA: JAPAN PROMISES STRONG STATEMENTS ON SYRIA AND IRAN; RENEWS HIGH LEVEL LOBBYING IN DG ELECTION REF: SECSTATE 60334 Classified By: EMIN Robert F. Cekuta, reasons 1.4 b and d ¶1. (C) Econoffs delivered points contained if ref regarding statements on Syria and Iran at the upcoming IAEA BOG meeting to MOFA Non-proliferation, Science and Nuclear Energy Division Director Tomiko Ichikawa June 12. Ichikawa said Japan agrees fully with the U.S. call for strong statements and will deliver such interventions at the BOG meeting beginning June 15. ¶2. (C) Turning to the IAEA Director General election, Ichikawa said Japan has resumed lobbying following the June 9 strawpoll. She said Parliamentary Vice Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobuhide Minorikawa would travel to Vienna during the BOG meeting next week to lobby IAEA governors from countries which support Echavarri and selected countries that support Minty. Japan's strategy, Ichikawa noted, is to focus on the final round when members vote yes or no. The Foreign Ministry thinks the structure of that round affords Minty supporters the chance to vote yes for Amano without having to vote against the South African, Ichikawa also noted. Minorikawa is likely to return to Vienna for the voting July 2-3, she added. ¶3. (C) Japan's efforts on behalf of Amano, Ichikawa continued, include further phone calls from Prime Minister Aso and Foreign Minister Nakasone to their counterparts. She said Nakasone has already spoken with the Brazilian Foreign Minister and plans to call his Indian counterpart. In addition, Nakasone will raise the IAEA election in bilateral talks at the upcoming G8 Foreign Ministers meeting in Italy, Ichikawa added. Vice Foreign Minister Yabunaka is also reaching out to ambassadors of key countries in Tokyo, and has already spoken to the German. ZUMWALT