Cablegate: Methyl Brou+Q.24 to Hideo Fukushima, Director of the Global

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DE RUEHKO #6221 2980815
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 250815Z OCT 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 7769
INFO RUEHGV/USMISSION GENEVA PRIORITY 2947

UNCLAS TOKYO 006221

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

PASS TO OES/ENV SUSAN GARDNER

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: AORC EAGR ETRD JA PREL SENV
SUBJECT: METHYL BROU+Q.24 to Hideo Fukushima, Director of the Global
Environment Division at Japan's Ministry of Foreign Affairs,
and head of the Japanese delegation to next week's Montreal
Protocol Meeting of the Parties in India. Fukushima
acknowledged that this issue is not an easy one and pointed

out that Japan's methyl bromide critical use exemption (CUE)
was itself cut 24 percent by MBTOC. However, he said the GOJ
is ready to accept MBTOC's decision, unless the U.S. has some
very special argument to question its validity. He asked us
to clarify the reference to non-technically based cuts in the
talking points. Does the USG question the qualifications of
the committee members, he asked? Does it believe the
committee's decision on the U.S. CUE was political? ESTOff
responded by stressing the dissent within MBTOC over such a
drastic cut.

2. Fukushima said Japan will make its best efforts to swallow
MBTOC's recommendations. However, he also said that there is
some room for working together on the issue. He said an
informal bilateral discussion could be possible in New Delhi
on Sunday. And he said he would be glad to accept any more
specifics Post could pass along from Washington re: his
questions above. (Comment: it appears the GOJ has decided,
after considerable deliberation, that it will accept MBTOC's
cuts. If the Japanese are to support restoring the U.S. CUE,
the U.S. delegation will have to convince them in person.
End comment.)
SCHIEFFER

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