JAPANESE SENIOR OFFICIALS SEEK TO SCHEDULE

UNCLAS TOKYO 000154 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/J, EAP/ANP, ISN/MNSA E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: PARM MNUC NRR NPT TRGY JA SUBJECT: JAPANESE SENIOR OFFICIALS SEEK TO SCHEDULE ICNND-RELATED MEETINGS IN FEBRUARY ¶1. (U) Ministry of Foreign Affairs Disarmament, Non-proliferation, and Science Director General Toshio Sano told EMIN he will travel to Washington in February to attend the second meeting of the International Commission on Nuclear Non-proliferation and Disarmament (ICNND). Japan co-chairs ICNND with Australia. As an extension of the Commission meeting, Sano noted he wants to schedule meetings with relevant Washington officials. ¶2. (U) Sano will arrive in Washington February 12, and hopes to arrange discussions with USG officials February 13, prior to the Commission's meetings February 14-15. ¶3. (U) The ICNND, which was founded in 2008, seeks to re-invigorate international efforts in non-proliferation and disarmament and to issue a report prior to the 2010 NPT review conference. The Commission held its first meeting in October 2008 in Sydney. According to a member of Sano's staff, the Commission hopes to communicate with the political leadership of the countries in which it meets, and selected Washington for its second meeting because it would occur shortly after the beginning of the new U.S. Administration. A third meeting is scheduled for June 2009 in Moscow and a fourth for October 2009 in Japan. ZUMWALT