UPPER HOUSE MEMBER DISCUSSES TRACK II CONFERENCE

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 002461 SIPDIS DEPT FOR EAP/J AND S/SRAP, USAID FOR ASIA/SCAAP E.O. 12958: DECL: 10/22/2019 TAGS: PREL PGOV MARR EAID AF JA SUBJECT: UPPER HOUSE MEMBER DISCUSSES TRACK II CONFERENCE ON AFGHANISTAN REF: TOKYO 2391 Classified By: POL M/C Robert S. Luke per reasons 1.4(b) and (d) ¶1. (C) Summary: Embassy Poloff met October 21 with Diet Upper House member Tadashi Inuzuka (DPJ-Nagasaki) to discuss Inuzuka's recent travel to Afghanistan, the Indian Ocean refueling mission and plans for a Track II Conference on Afghanistan to be held November 23-25 in Tokyo. End Summary. -------------- Refueling Mission -------------- ¶2. (C) Without prompting, Inuzuka sought at the outset of the meeting to make clear that the ruling Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) was not opposed to the Maritime Self-Defense Forces' (MSDF) Indian Ocean refueling mission in support of Operation Enduring Freedom (OEF) per se. He acknowledged the "symbolic importance" of Japan's participation in OEF as a non-NATO country, but stressed that in substantive terms, the GOJ's provision of fuel and water was "merely symbolic." In Inuzuka's view, the GOJ's current contribution to Afghanistan and OEF was substantively insufficient in light of Japan's economic position and much greater potential to contribute. Japan should be doing much more, Inuzuka stressed. That said, using the formulation similar to that frequently voiced by Foreign Minister Okada and others, Inuzuka said that if the GOJ were to extend the refueling mission, the process would be complicated as the DPJ's election manifesto had promised "no simple extension" of the mission. -------------- Origins of Track II Conference -------------- ¶3. (C) Inuzuka said that the November 23-25 conference entitled "Shared Security in Afghanistan" had its origins in a 2007 DPJ-proposed Diet bill dubbed the "terrorism elimination bill," which failed to pass. This bill focused on Afghanistan reconstruction assistance and was intended as an alternative to the special measures laws that had authorized the MSDF refueling. The bill had been touted by DPJ officials at the time using phrases such as "spades rather than guns" and "water rather than oil." The DPJ legislation emphasized agricultural assistance and infrastructure repair while also urging the GOJ to work actively towards a resolution of the conflict and a cease-fire agreement. It is this approach which underlies the planned conference. -------------- Conference Taking Shape -------------- ¶4. (C) Although he is keeping Prime Minister Hatoyama and Foreign Minister Okada well-briefed on conference preparations, Inuzuka stressed that the meeting is Track II and is not an official GOJ-sponsored event. Sponsored by Parliamentarians for Global Action (PGA) and the World Council of Religions for Peace (WCRP),the conference will be chaired by former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari, chair of Crisis Management Initiative, a group founded by the 2008 Nobel Peace laureate. Former EU Special Representative and UN Special Representative of the Secretary General (SRSG) Francesc Vendrell is also scheduled to participate. ¶5. (C) Inuzuka said that the schedule remained a work in progress and was undergoing revisions -- Poloff was permitted to review a draft schedule but was not given a copy, owing ostensibly to the rapidly changing shape of the schedule. According to the draft schedule, notional speakers include Prime Minister Hatoyama, Foreign Minister Okada as well as Afghan Foreign Minister Spanta. Whether these are confirmed participants or not remains unclear. The list of invited guests/participants should be finalized soon, Inuzuka said. A possible role for USAID remains on Inuzuka's wish list. He has not yet been in contact with Embassy USAID counselor. Heretofore, although Inuzuka's has had little to no contact with the Embassy regarding the conference, he said that he had briefed Ambassador Holbrooke's office during his September visit to the United States. Inuzuka said he would be providing more details, including a conference program, once arrangements are more firmly set. -------------- Probable Themes -------------- TOKYO 00002461 002 OF 002 ¶6. (C) The proposed themes for the conference appear to be similar to those floated by Foreign Minister Okada during his October 11 visit to Kabul -- a strong emphasis on vocational training, job training, and development assistance. In addition, speakers are likely to emphasize political reconciliation and reintegration of former insurgents. Inuzuka noted that the 25,000-plus lower echelon fighters need not only vocational training but jobs as well once the training is concluded. -------------- Visit to Kabul -------------- ¶7. (C) Inuzuka offered few details or insights from his recent trip to Kabul, despite prompting by Poloff. He preferred to focus on the details of the upcoming conference. ROOS