Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO615
2009-03-19 08:35:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:
VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CHAVEZ MAY VISIT JAPAN
how-toVZCZCXRO3567 OO RUEHFK RUEHKSO RUEHNH DE RUEHKO #0615 0780835 ZNY CCCCC ZZH O 190835Z MAR 09 FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1637 INFO RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 8343 RUEHCV/AMEMBASSY CARACAS PRIORITY 0170 RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 4368 RUEHFK/AMCONSUL FUKUOKA PRIORITY 3065 RUEHNH/AMCONSUL NAHA PRIORITY 5405 RUEHOK/AMCONSUL OSAKA KOBE PRIORITY 6857 RUEHKSO/AMCONSUL SAPPORO PRIORITY 3605 RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY RUEAIIA/CIA WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000615
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017
TAGS: PREL ETRD JA VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CHAVEZ MAY VISIT JAPAN
REF: 08 STATE 03248
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000615
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017
TAGS: PREL ETRD JA VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CHAVEZ MAY VISIT JAPAN
REF: 08 STATE 03248
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Japan is planning for a "possible" visit to
Japan by Venezuelan President Chavez during the first part of
April. Additionally, Tokyo will sign a memorandum on energy
cooperation with Caracas during a March 19-21 Tokyo visit by
Venezuelan Minister of Energy and Petroleum Rafael Ramirez.
Japanese officials said the memorandum carries no political
implications - Tokyo needs an agreement which will facilitate
the work of private Japanese companies which are looking to
exploit oil resources in the Orinoco River delta. End
Summary.
2. (C) On March 18, MOFA South American Division Director
Masahiro Takasugi informed Embassy Tokyo political officer of
two important developments with regard to Venezuela. MOFA
has begun working with the Venezuelan Embassy in Tokyo on a
"possible" visit to Japan by President Hugo Chavez, which
Takasugi estimated could take place in the first part of
April, just after Prime Minister Taro Aso returns from the
London G-20 meeting. Venezuela requested the visit, which
will follow Chavez,s trip to the Middle East and several
Asian countries, including the PRC and possibly South Korea.
Takasugi said Tokyo had not yet "officially approved" the
stopover, but added MOFA has been coordinating with the PM,s
office to find time for the two leaders to hold a summit.
Chavez last came to Japan in 1999 on working visit.
3. (C) Tokyo will sign a memorandum on energy cooperation
with Caracas during an March 19-21 visit by Venezuelan
Minister of Energy and Petroleum Rafael Ramirez, Takasugi
continued. Negotiators first initialed the document in
Caracas in Oct. 2008. Latin American Affairs DG Satoru Satoh
mentioned the energy memorandum to A/S Shannon during his
October 2008 Tokyo visit (reftel). Japan had since been
looking for an opportunity to sign the memorandum, but
Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Toshihiro
Nikai has been unable to leave Tokyo because of the domestic
political situation in Japan. The Japanese Government now
plans to use Ramirez,s visit to finalize the deal.
4. (C) Takasugi stressed the memorandum "does not carry any
political implications." Tokyo needs an agreement which will
facilitate the work of private Japanese companies which are
looking to exploit oil resources in the Orinoco River delta.
GOJ officials originally sought to arrange an umbrella
agreement between Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals Corporation
(JOGMEC) and Venezuela,s PdVSA, but Caracas requested that
the agreement be established on a government-to-government
level.
5. (C) Separately, METI Senior Deputy Director in the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Division, Masato Sasaki, told
Embassy economic officer the memorandum will be a very
general agreement on energy cooperation, but will not
reference specific financial or project commitments. Sasaki
said Venezuela has concluded similar memoranda with several
other countries, and he described Japan as a relative
late-comer to the region.
ZUMWALT
SIPDIS
E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/19/2017
TAGS: PREL ETRD JA VE
SUBJECT: VENEZUELAN PRESIDENT CHAVEZ MAY VISIT JAPAN
REF: 08 STATE 03248
Classified By: Charge d' Affaires, a.i. James P. Zumwalt. Reasons 1.4
(B) (D)
1. (C) Summary. Japan is planning for a "possible" visit to
Japan by Venezuelan President Chavez during the first part of
April. Additionally, Tokyo will sign a memorandum on energy
cooperation with Caracas during a March 19-21 Tokyo visit by
Venezuelan Minister of Energy and Petroleum Rafael Ramirez.
Japanese officials said the memorandum carries no political
implications - Tokyo needs an agreement which will facilitate
the work of private Japanese companies which are looking to
exploit oil resources in the Orinoco River delta. End
Summary.
2. (C) On March 18, MOFA South American Division Director
Masahiro Takasugi informed Embassy Tokyo political officer of
two important developments with regard to Venezuela. MOFA
has begun working with the Venezuelan Embassy in Tokyo on a
"possible" visit to Japan by President Hugo Chavez, which
Takasugi estimated could take place in the first part of
April, just after Prime Minister Taro Aso returns from the
London G-20 meeting. Venezuela requested the visit, which
will follow Chavez,s trip to the Middle East and several
Asian countries, including the PRC and possibly South Korea.
Takasugi said Tokyo had not yet "officially approved" the
stopover, but added MOFA has been coordinating with the PM,s
office to find time for the two leaders to hold a summit.
Chavez last came to Japan in 1999 on working visit.
3. (C) Tokyo will sign a memorandum on energy cooperation
with Caracas during an March 19-21 visit by Venezuelan
Minister of Energy and Petroleum Rafael Ramirez, Takasugi
continued. Negotiators first initialed the document in
Caracas in Oct. 2008. Latin American Affairs DG Satoru Satoh
mentioned the energy memorandum to A/S Shannon during his
October 2008 Tokyo visit (reftel). Japan had since been
looking for an opportunity to sign the memorandum, but
Minister of Economy, Trade, and Industry (METI) Toshihiro
Nikai has been unable to leave Tokyo because of the domestic
political situation in Japan. The Japanese Government now
plans to use Ramirez,s visit to finalize the deal.
4. (C) Takasugi stressed the memorandum "does not carry any
political implications." Tokyo needs an agreement which will
facilitate the work of private Japanese companies which are
looking to exploit oil resources in the Orinoco River delta.
GOJ officials originally sought to arrange an umbrella
agreement between Japan Oil, Gas, and Metals Corporation
(JOGMEC) and Venezuela,s PdVSA, but Caracas requested that
the agreement be established on a government-to-government
level.
5. (C) Separately, METI Senior Deputy Director in the
Petroleum and Natural Gas Division, Masato Sasaki, told
Embassy economic officer the memorandum will be a very
general agreement on energy cooperation, but will not
reference specific financial or project commitments. Sasaki
said Venezuela has concluded similar memoranda with several
other countries, and he described Japan as a relative
late-comer to the region.
ZUMWALT