BULGARIAN PRESIDENT CONFIRMS COORDINATION WITH

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 000344

SIPDIS

E.O. 12958: DECL: 02/13/2017
TAGS: PREL ETRD EAID JA BU
SUBJECT: BULGARIAN PRESIDENT CONFIRMS COORDINATION WITH
JAPAN ON BLACK SEA STRATEGY

TOKYO 00000344 001.2 OF 002


Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)


1. (C) Summary. Bulgarian President Parvanov sought to
establish "a new type of partnership" with Japan, one which
would reflect Sophia's new-found status as a democratic
member of the EU community, during a January 25-29 visit to
Tokyo. A second major goal involved attempts to reduce the
large bilateral trade imbalance by encouraging more Japanese
companies to buy Bulgarian products. Japan and Bulgaria
agreed to continued collaboration in the Black Sea region,
including on the Black Sea Synergy and Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) efforts ) which both sides see as being
key to the stability and development of the Western Balkan
region. Prince and Princess Akishino plan a reciprocal visit
to Bulgaria in May 2009. End Summary.

--------------
Double Anniversary Year
--------------


2. (C) President Parvanov's January 25-29 Tokyo visit , which
marked the 50th anniversary of the re-establishment of
diplomatic relations severed by World War II, began with a
state call on the Emperor and Empress, who also hosted a
luncheon for President and Mrs. Parvanov. Prince Akishino,
designated Honorary President of the Friendship Year which
commemorates the anniversary celebrations, joined the lunch.
Prince and Princess Akishino plan a reciprocal visit to
Bulgaria in May 2009.


3. (C) Parvanov's official visits included a 45-minute
meeting with PM Taro Aso, talks with Diet Upper House Speaker
Yohei Kono, Lower House leader Satsuki Eda, Japan business
association Keidanran chairman Fujio Mitarai, and lunch with
over 100 Japanese companies at the Imperial Hotel.
Parvanov's visit concluded with a trip to the Toppan Printing
Company, which sponsored a museum exhibition of posters
showing individual letters of the Cyrillic alphabet created
by various artists, and a sightseeing tour of Kyoto.
Bulgarian Deputy Prime Minister/Foreign Minister Ivailo
Kalfin and Environment Minister Djevdet Chakurov, who
accompanied the President, held separate bilateral
consultations with Japanese counterparts FM Hirofumi Nakasone
and EM Tetsuo Saito.

--------------
Trade Imbalance
--------------


4. (C) Bulgarian Embassy Political Minister Vera Stefanova
said a main goal of President Parvanov's visit was to correct
the large bilateral trade imbalance by encouraging more
Japanese companies to buy Bulgarian products. Leading
Bulgarian exports include wine and rose oil, which Stefanova
said serves as a major ingredient in perfume, soap,
cosmetics, and "aroma therapy." Overall trade amounted to
$154 million, of which only $36 million came from Bulgarian
exports. Stefanova noted, however, Bulgaria and Japan did
not sign any new economic or trade deals during the trip.

--------------
New Stage of Development
--------------


5. (C) Bulgaria and Japan have "no political problems to
resolve," but are "looking for a new type of partnership"
which reflects "Bulgaria's new status as a democratic society
with an emerging market economy, and EU membership,"
Stefanova reported. Tokyo, she continued, served as a major
donor to Sophia during Bulgaria's transition to a market
economy and democracy, having extended billions in yen loans
for infrastructure projects such as the subway expansion and
development of a major Black Sea port. JICA, Japan's
development assistance agency, sends volunteers to teach
Japanese and to serve as IT engineers, Stefanova said.


6. (C) The Bulgarian diplomat asserted the two countries had
entered a "new stage of development," in which Tokyo would no
longer provide donor aid to Bulgaria ) a step to be
formalized in March when JICA closes its Sophia projects and
ends development assistance. As a result of Bulgaria's
successful climb to EU membership, Sophia looks to
participate with Japan as an equal in donor projects and

TOKYO 00000344 002.2 OF 002


hopes to cooperate with Tokyo on development assistance.
Stefanova admitted, however, that Bulgaria has little
expertise and capacity in carrying out such programs and
hopes for Japan's assistance in capacity building.

--------------
Black Sea Cooperation
--------------


7. (C) Stefanova and MOFA Central and Southeastern Europe
Division Principal Deputy Director Yuichi Oba agreed there
were several promising areas for continuing and future
collaboration. In the Black Sea region, both noted Japan's
interest in the Black Sea Synergy and Black Sea Economic
Cooperation (BSEC) efforts. In a joint press release, the
two sides "noted with satisfaction the concurrence of their
positions on the situation in the Western Balkan region that
the stability and development of the region are the key to
the stability and prosperity of the whole South Eastern
Europe." Stefanova opined that Japan views Bulgaria, as well
its improving ties with the three other Danube countries
Austria, Hungary, and Romania, as falling within Tokyo's "Arc
of Freedom and Prosperity," ) the overarching world-view
policy doctrine which then FM Aso articulated as a member of
former PM Shintaro Abe's Cabinet.


8. (C) On climate change, Oba and Stefanova pointed to their
nations' agreement to cooperate on climate change in
accordance with a bilateral Memorandum of Cooperation, signed
under the Kyoto Protocol, in the run-up to the 15th COP in
December 2009. The joint press release noted Bulgaria's
support for Japan's permanent membership in the UN Security
Council. Aso also received Parvanov's support for Tokyo's
efforts to resolve the abduction issue with North Korea.
ZUMWALT