JAPAN LOOKS TO BUILD MIDDLE EAST PROCESS SUPPORT

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002324

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/05/2019
TAGS: PREL KPAL IS SN MY ID JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN LOOKS TO BUILD MIDDLE EAST PROCESS SUPPORT
IN SE ASIA

Classified By: CDA James P. Zumwalt per reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (C) Summary: MOFA is considering a possible initiative to
build support for the Middle East Peace Process (MEPP) in
Southeast Asia should MEPP discussions restart. Key elements
of MOFA,s nascent plan would be expanding the base of
support for the MEPP beyond the neighboring Arab countries,
strengthening assistance to the Palestinians, and creating
confidence-building measures (CBMs). Initial soundings in
the region found cautious interest. Israel,s focus
regarding the proposal centers on the prospect of improved
relations with Indonesia. End Summary.

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Broadening MEPP Support
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2. (C) MOFA Middle Eastern and African Affairs Director
General Toshiro Suzuki met with DCM and poloff September 16
to preview a possible GOJ initiative to form a MEPP support
group with Southeast Asia countries. While cautioning that
MOFA,s internal discussions were at a very preliminary
stage, Suzuki said the basic concept would be that once the
MEPP began to move forward, the GOJ believed that it would be
crucial to enlist broad-based international support and not
limit such efforts to Arab countries.


3. (C) Toward that end, under the approach being considered
by MOFA, Japan would seek to enlist support from Southeast
Asia countries, including the principal Muslim countries,
Indonesia and Malaysia ) neither of which has normalized
relations with Israel. The objectives of this initiative
would include: building support for the MEPP; expanding
assistance to the Palestinians; and creating CBMs among the
parties. Should the MEPP go well, Japan would hope to see
gradual improvement in relations between Israel and the
Southeast Asian countries. The basic principle underlying
the initiative is that Japan remains engaged in the MEPP and
that the GOJ can provide value-added support to the MEPP.

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Sounding Out The Players
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4. (C) With this basic outline in mind, Suzuki said that GOJ
had begun &brain- storming8 the concept with Indonesia,
Malaysia, and Singapore during Special Middle East Envoy
Yukata Iimura,s recent trip to Southeast Asia. Iimura,s
interlocutors had responded with cautious interest. In
particular, Indonesia has had some experience with capacity
building with the Palestinians, Suzuki said, adding that
Indonesia has had contact with Israel in the past but does
not have diplomatic relations. Malaysia also expressed
cautious interest. Singapore, which has diplomatic relations
with Israel reportedly was cool to Iimura,s proposals but
did indicate that it could support the initiative on a
&modest8 level.


5. (C) Suzuki said that moving ahead with the initiative
would be dependent not only on progress in re-starting MEPP
talks but also on the views of the new Foreign Minister.
Were MEPP to gain moment, then the GOJ would seek to act.
Possible components could include a Ministerial-level
gathering and track II discussions should the concept reach
fruition. At present, however, there remains no timetable
for action.


6. (C) Suzuki said that the GOJ had only raised the idea with
Singapore, Indonesia, and Malaysia but possible additional
participants in a Southeast Asia MEPP support group could
include Brunei and Thailand. He noted, however, that Israel
was keen to have improved relations with Indonesia and that
was, in fact, the hidden agenda of the initiative.

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New Foreign Minister &Positive8
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7. (C) MOFA briefed Foreign Minister Okada as he assumed
office and Okada,s initial response was reportedly sober but
positive, with MOFA acknowledging that Okada had been very
busy during the transition period and may not have focused on
this topic. During an October 5 follow-up meeting with
Political Minister-Counselor and poloff, DG Suzuki said he
planned to brief Okada again that week and that Iimura had
briefed Senator Mitchell on the proposal during Iimura,s
recent visit to Washington.

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Israeli Embassy view
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8. (C) Israeli Embassy poloff subsequently confirmed to
poloff that Israel,s primary interest in the initiative is
improved relations with Indonesia, with the possible exchange
of trade offices as a first step. Israeli poloff was
somewhat dismissive of the other elements of the plan --
building support for the MEPP and strengthening assistance to
the Palestinians )- saying that elements were necessary to
enlist the participation of the Southeast Asia countries but
were not the focus of Israel,s interest in the plan.

ZUMWALT