Identifier
Created
Classification
Origin
09TOKYO620
2009-03-19 08:43:00
CONFIDENTIAL
Embassy Tokyo
Cable title:  

DEMARCHE TO JAPAN ON PAKISTAN DONORS CONFERENCE

Tags:  PREL EAID ECON EFIN IBRB IMF PK JA 
pdf how-to read a cable
VZCZCXRO3574
OO RUEHLH
DE RUEHKO #0620/01 0780843
ZNY CCCCC ZZH
O 190843Z MAR 09
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 1643
INFO RUEHAD/AMEMBASSY ABU DHABI PRIORITY 0255
RUEHAK/AMEMBASSY ANKARA PRIORITY 0295
RUEHBJ/AMEMBASSY BEIJING PRIORITY 8348
RUEHRL/AMEMBASSY BERLIN PRIORITY 1620
RUEHSW/AMEMBASSY BERN PRIORITY 1881
RUEHBY/AMEMBASSY CANBERRA PRIORITY 3094
RUEHCP/AMEMBASSY COPENHAGEN PRIORITY 0591
RUEHIL/AMEMBASSY ISLAMABAD PRIORITY 2136
RUEHJA/AMEMBASSY JAKARTA PRIORITY 4420
RUEHKL/AMEMBASSY KUALA LUMPUR PRIORITY 1940
RUEHKU/AMEMBASSY KUWAIT PRIORITY 0401
RUEHLO/AMEMBASSY LONDON PRIORITY 2382
RUEHMD/AMEMBASSY MADRID PRIORITY 0883
RUEHMO/AMEMBASSY MOSCOW PRIORITY 2749
RUEHMS/AMEMBASSY MUSCAT PRIORITY 0016
RUEHNY/AMEMBASSY OSLO PRIORITY 1274
RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA PRIORITY 9790
RUEHFR/AMEMBASSY PARIS PRIORITY 6469
RUEHRH/AMEMBASSY RIYADH PRIORITY 0618
RUEHRO/AMEMBASSY ROME PRIORITY 2257
RUEHUL/AMEMBASSY SEOUL PRIORITY 4373
RUEHSM/AMEMBASSY STOCKHOLM PRIORITY 0727
RUEHTC/AMEMBASSY THE HAGUE PRIORITY 1094
RUEHWL/AMEMBASSY WELLINGTON PRIORITY 1152
RUEHKP/AMCONSUL KARACHI PRIORITY 0097
RUEHLH/AMCONSUL LAHORE PRIORITY 0023
RUSHPW/AMCONSUL PESHAWAR PRIORITY 0059
RUEATRS/TREASURY DEPT WASHDC PRIORITY
RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 4264
RUEHBS/USEU BRUSSELS PRIORITY
RHEHAAA/NSC WASHDC PRIORITY
C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 000620 

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/J AND SCA/PB MBGOODMAN AND TFOLEY
TREASURY FOR ROBERT DOHNER AND MALACHY NUGENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID ECON EFIN IBRB IMF PK JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO JAPAN ON PAKISTAN DONORS CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 24367

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jim Zumwalt for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)

C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 03 TOKYO 000620

SIPDIS

DEPT FOR EAP/J AND SCA/PB MBGOODMAN AND TFOLEY
TREASURY FOR ROBERT DOHNER AND MALACHY NUGENT

E.O. 12958: DECL: 03/18/2019
TAGS: PREL EAID ECON EFIN IBRB IMF PK JA
SUBJECT: DEMARCHE TO JAPAN ON PAKISTAN DONORS CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 24367

Classified By: Charge d'Affaires Jim Zumwalt for reasons 1.4(b) and (d)


1. (U) THIS IS AN ACTION REQUEST FOR THE DEPARTMENT. PLEASE
SEE PARAGRAPH 9.


2. (C) SUMMARY: Japan is grateful for U.S. efforts to assure
the success of the Pakistan Donors Conference which will be
held in Tokyo April 17, according to MOFA Southwest Asia
Division Principal Deputy Director Aya Yoshida. MOFA is
still having a "difficult fight" with the Ministry of Finance
about the size of Japan's contribution, and Yoshida was
hesitant to speculate at this point about the amount Japan
will pledge. She was pleased to hear that the U.S.
delegation would include a high-level representative from
Treasury, as this would help focus the Ministry of Finance on
this issue. MOFA would like to officially announce to the
press on March 24 or 25 that it will be hosting the
conference. Yoshida provided further information concerning
logistical arrangements as well as a tentative seating chart
and registration forms which Embassy will e-mail to EAP/J and
SCA/PB. With regard to the Friends of Pakistan Meeting that
will be held the same day, Yoshida said that Pakistan is
contemplating hosting a Senior Officials Meeting the morning
of April 16. Embassy requests guidance from Department on
information concerning U.S. delegation and whether S/SRAP
Holbrooke is available for public diplomacy events or desires
additional meetings during his visit in Tokyo. END SUMMARY.

--------------
DEMARCHE DELIVERED
--------------


3. (C) Ref demarche concerning Japan's plans to host a
Pakistan Donors Conference in Tokyo on April 17 was delivered
to MOFA Southwest Asia Division Principal Deputy Director Aya
Yoshida March 18. She was grateful to learn of U.S. efforts
to assure the success of the conference and was particularly
pleased to see that a high-level representative from the
Department of the Treasury would be included in the U.S.

delegation, indicating that this would help focus the
Ministry of Finance (MOF) on the need to make a meaningful
contribution. When asked if she had any idea about how much
Japan is prepared to pledge she replied that MOFA is engaged
in a "difficult fight" with the MOF and that she would not
feel comfortable venturing a guess at this point about the
amount Japan will contribute.

--------------
LOGISTICS
--------------


4. (C) Japan would like to make a formal announcement to the
press on either March 24 or 25 about its intention to host
the conference, reported Yoshida. The fact that Tokyo will

TOKYO 00000620 002 OF 003


be the venue of the meeting is widely known, but Yoshida said
that MOFA has been receiving many inquiries from the press
about whether the meeting is still on given developments last
weekend in Pakistan. Accordingly, MOFA wants to assure the
media that the conference will, indeed, take place.


5. (C) Yoshida also reported that MOFA has been engaged in
talks with South Korea and is fairly certain that the South
Korean Foreign Minister will attend. If that is the case,
Japan and the ROK will probably hold a bilateral ministerial
sometime the evening of April 17.


6. (C) Yoshida shared a list of logistical arrangements, as
well as a proposed seating chart and a registration form.
Although the arrangements for the venue have not be
finalized, she indicated the conference will most likely be
held at the New Otani Hotel. MOFA is still planning on
limiting the delegation size to principal plus three. There
will be a room for overflow staff, she said, but indicated it
would not be large. There are no plans at this time for a
remote note-taking room. Political Officer indicated that
our delegation size would likely exceed four and asked that
due consideration be given to a request for additional
places. Embassy will e-mail copies of the registration form,
logistical information, and proposed seating chart to EAP/J
and SCA/PB.

--------------
FRIENDS OF PAKISTAN
--------------


7. (C) Pakistan is considering convening a Senior Officials
Meeting the morning of April 16, one day prior to the
Ministerial, reported Yoshida. She indicated that Japanese
representation at this meeting would be at the Director
General level.

--------------
PRESS COVERAGE
--------------


8. (C) MOFA plans to let the press cover opening statements
by President Zardari and Prime Minister Aso at the Friends of
Pakistan meeting, as well as the opening moments of the
Donors Conference. In addition, a press conference will be
held following the closing session. Yoshida was uncertain
who would participate in the press conference, but speculated
it would be restricted to the hosts.

--------------
ACTION REQUEST
--------------


9. (C) Embassy would be grateful for any information
Department can provide on delegation participants and travel
plans so that we may begin making hotel reservations. In

TOKYO 00000620 003 OF 003


addition, we would be interested in learning whether Special
Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Holbrooke would
be available for public diplomacy events. A direct appeal by
him to Diet members and the press about the relevance to
Japan of events in Afghanistan and Pakistan would go a long
way to building needed support for Japanese assistance.
Finally, please advise if S/SRAP Holbrooke would like us to
schedule bilateral or other meetings during his stay.
Embassy point of contact is Political Officer Evan G. Reade,
ReadeEG@state.gov, 011-81-3-3224-5325.
ZUMWALT