AMBASSADOR KING'S JANUARY 15 MEETING WITH MOFA

C O N F I D E N T I A L TOKYO 000159 SIPDIS E.O. 12958: DECL: AFTER KOREAN UNIFICATION TAGS: PREL PHUM KN KS JA SUBJECT: AMBASSADOR KING'S JANUARY 15 MEETING WITH MOFA OFFICIALS Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission James P. Zumwalt per reasons 1.4 (b) and (d). Summary -------------- ¶1. (C) Summary: On January 15, Special Envoy for Human Rights in North Korea Ambassador Robert King met separately with State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama, Deputy Vice Minister Koro Bessho, Asian and Oceanian Affairs Director-General Akitaka Saiki and Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Hideaki Ueda. All stressed to Ambassador King the importance of resolving the North Korean abductions issues and expressed appreciation for U.S. support. Fukuyama and Saiki both mentioned the need to resolve the abductees issue through the Six Party Talks. Fukuyama noted that the Japanese consulate in Shenyang continued to shelter five North Korean refugees. DVM Bessho said that the Human Rights Council (HRC) discussions on North Korea and the HRC Universal Period Review (UPR) had provided opportunities to press North Korea on human rights and that the DPRK had appeared to take the process seriously by sending delegates from Pyongyang. ¶2. (C) Summary, cont,d: DG Saiki took up the discussion of DPRK refugees, noting that there has been an increase in North Korean refugees seeking asylum at Japanese and ROK missions throughout China. He said that the refugees at the Consulate in Shenyang were under great stress and negotiations for their transfer out of China had stalled. Both Fukuyama and Saiki said that the Hatoyama government wants to implement the August 2008 Japan-DPRK agreement to reinvestigate the abductions cases but that North Korea has failed to take any steps to do so. The GOJ has yet not determined its DPRK humanitarian assistance policy, owing to concerns about proper distribution of assistance to needy North Koreans. Ambassador Ueda stressed the importance of human rights in the DPRK, giving it even greater priority than resolution of the abductions issue. He said that increasing information flow into North Korea is essential. Ueda also voiced GOJ support for the reappointment of the UN Special Rapporteur for DPRK Human Rights. End Summary. State Secretary Fukuyama -------------- ¶3. (C) MOFA State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Tetsuro Fukuyama stressed the importance of U.S.-Japan cooperation to resolve the abduction issue. He said that although the DPRK 
had agreed in August 2008 to resume investigating the issue (in return for a partial lifting of Japan's unilateral sanctions),the DPRK had not taken any steps to implement that agreement. Ambassador King reaffirmed the U.S. commitment to work with Japan to address the abductions issue, noting that Secretary Clinton had discussed the abductees with Foreign Minister Okada in their January 12 meeting in Hawaii. Fukuyama expressed appreciation for U.S. support and stressed that the GOJ position on dealing with DPRK on abductions had not changed. Japan will continue to press North Korea to resolve the abductions issue through the Six Party Talks. ¶4. (C) Fukuyama noted that the Japanese Consulate in Shenyang has been sheltering several North Korean refugees for some time. The Chinese government has not yet granted them permission to leave China. Fukuyama and Ambassador King agreed on the critical role China plays regarding refugees, given China,s predisposition to return refugees to North Korea and that China remains the principle refugee path out of North Korea. Deputy Vice Minister Bessho -------------- ¶5. (C) Ambassador King told Deputy Vice Minister for Foreign Policy Koro Bessho that the overwhelming isolation of the North Korean people was an important factor in creating the DPRK,s power to violate human rights. Ambassador King expressed appreciation for Japanese cooperation in dealing with North Korea issues in the HRC in Geneva. Bessho said although the DPRK was not likely to take positive action on human rights in the near future, the DPRK appeared to take the 2009 HRC debate on the DPRK seriously by sending several delegates from Pyongyang. Bessho said the international community needs to continue press North Korea on human rights, adding that the HRC,s UPR will provide another opportunity to press North Korea. Bessho said the GOJ was pleased that the U.S. had returned to the Human Rights Council and that U.S. participation was essential. ¶6. (C) Although he acknowledged that resolution of the nuclear and missile issues was the highest priority, Bessho stressed that all outstanding issues with the North - nuclear, missiles, abductions - should be resolved together. Japan does not wish to see the abductions issue neglected. Bessho expressed appreciation for both President Obama,s and his predecessors, support for pressing the North to resolve the abductions issue. Asian and Oceanian Affairs DG Saiki -------------- ¶7. (C) Asian and Oceanian Affairs Director-General Akitaka Saiki thanked Ambassador King for continued U.S. support on the abduction issue. He said there has been an increase in DPRK refugees seeking asylum at the Japanese embassy and their consulates throughout China, adding that the Chinese seek the quiet return of North Koreans who were former Japanese residents to Japan. Saiki said the five DPRK refugees at the consulate in Shenyang are beginning to suffer from mental and emotional stress after nearly 18 months there and asked Ambassador King to keep these five individuals in mind. Negotiations for the transfer of the five have stalled, and the GOJ is concerned whether a positive resolution can be reached. Similarly, the number of DPRK refugees seeking asylum at Japanese missions throughout Southeast Asian has also increased, he said. ¶8. (C) Saiki said Prime Minister Hatoyama wants to implement the 2008 Japan-DPRK agreement and that Japan is willing to discuss the agreement with North Korea bilaterally. However, the DPRK has made no effort to re-engage. Saiki opined that the DPRK is taking a "wait-and-see" approach given Japan,s current domestic political situation, suggesting that the DPRK likely will not re-engage Japan until after July 2010 Upper House elections in Japan. Saiki added that he did not know what the resolution of the abduction issue would look like. ¶9. (C) The Hatoyama administration has not decided its policy on DPRK humanitarian assistance, with its main concern being that the aid be properly distributed to needy North Koreans, Saiki said. He added that the DPRK,s stubbornness and pride were difficult to understand, adding that the DPRK should reach out to the international community for assistance. Humanitarian Affairs Ambassador Ueda -------------- ¶10. (C) Ambassador in Charge of Human Rights and Humanitarian Affairs Hideaki Ueda said that DPRK human rights issues are an even higher priority than the abduction issue. Ueda stressed the importance of broadcasting information into the DPRK, specifically mentioning Radio Free Asia,s effectiveness. He also noted the increased use of South Korean and Chinese cell phones in getting information to the North Korean people. Hoping communication restrictions between the DPRK and Japan might be relaxed, Ueda believes increased contact with the "true world" will have a positive influence on the DPRK internal situation. Ueda said said the UPR was a useful step as the DPRK had been willing to admit the legitimacy of some human rights concerns. In discussing the DPRK's criticism of Japan,s wartime and colonial role in Korea, Ueda conceded the difficult history between Japan and Korea, but thought not all DPRK criticism was legitimate. ¶11. (U) Ambassador King cleared this cable. ROOS