JAPAN'S TAKE ON GOLDSTONE

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 002243 SIPDIS DEPARTMENT FOR IO/RHS: CARI ENAV, KELLY RAZZOUK; NEA/IPA: JEFFREY GIAUQUE E.O. 12958: DECL: 09/25/2019 TAGS: AORC PHUM JA SUBJECT: JAPAN'S TAKE ON GOLDSTONE REF: SECSTATE 98567 Classified By: Pol M/C Robert Luke per 1.4 (b, d) ¶1. (C) Embassy Political Officer delivered reftel demarche to Yuichi Mikami, Head of the Middle East Peace Process Section in MOFA's First Middle East Division, and Seitoku Kawakami, Deputy Director of MOFA's Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Division. Mikami said, "Frankly we believe the report isn't as bad as the Israelis are claiming. At this point the Israeli reaction has become part of the problem and is giving ammunition to the other side." He added that his department and the Humanitarian Affairs Division had not come to an agreement yet on how to proceed and "we do not want this issue to derail the Peace Process." Although MOFA has not yet reached an official position on whether to refer this issue to the UNSC or the ICC, Mikami predicted that the GOJ would not likely support such a course of action. "We will probably choose to abstain on such a vote," he said. ¶2. (C) Kawakami said that, "Although Japan did not support the original resolution calling for a Special Rapporteur to be sent, we feel the report does criticize both sides." "At a minimum," he added, "we must thank Justice Goldstone for his efforts, and take notice of the report." Both Mikami and Kawakami expressed interest in the U.S. desire to arrive at a "constructive" approach to this report in the HRC that avoids solidifying old political divisions, and allows the HRC to proceed with other work. U.S. suggestions for achieving a balanced HRC resolution were welcome, particularly the idea of "condemning violations of International Humanitarian Law and Human Rights Law regardless of the actor." As Mikami said, "Such a statement would make both sides unhappy, which would be proof that it was accurate." ROOS