DEMARCHE DELIVERED RE G8 EXPERT LEVEL MEETING ON

UNCLAS TOKYO 000925 SENSITIVE SIPDIS FOR EAP/J AND ISN/CPI THOMAS WUCHTE E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: AORC EUN KPAO PREL PTER UNSC JA SUBJECT: DEMARCHE DELIVERED RE G8 EXPERT LEVEL MEETING ON UNSCR 1540 REF: STATE 38007 ¶1. (SBU) Econoff delivered the demarche contained in ref to Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Nonproliferation, Science, and Nuclear Energy Division officials responsible for UNSCR 1540 and the G8 Non-Proliferation Director's Group (NPDG) April 20. Nonproliferation Division official Naoto Ito commented the GOJ has long had a strong opinion regarding what the G8 should do to support the universalization of UNSCR 1540, and that the G8 cannot just continue to do what it has been doing. ¶2. (SBU) Regarding the proposal in ref for the G8 to issue a broader range of demarches on UNSCR 1540, Ito said the GOJ is "not uncomfortable" with continuing demarches to non-reporting countries. However, the GOJ agrees we should do more. Ito was interested as well in the U.S. proposal to hold an expert level meeting on NPDG support for UNSCR 1540, but had no specific comments on the subject. ¶3. (SBU) Talking further about the 1540 Committee, Ito noted Japan will continue to support the U.S. approach to the text for the Program of Work for the 1540 Committee but understands it is hard to predict how discussion among the parties will unfold. ZUMWALT