Cablegate: Japan Will Decide Uniaac Vote at the Last Minute

VZCZCXYZ0008
PP RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #4968 2970806
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
P 240806Z OCT 07
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC PRIORITY 8898
INFO RUCNDT/USMISSION USUN NEW YORK PRIORITY 6582

UNCLAS TOKYO 004968

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

FOR IO/MPR/SC - BRIAN HACKETT

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PREL AORC UN UNGA JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN WILL DECIDE UNIAAC VOTE AT THE LAST MINUTE

REF: STATE 146857

1. This message contains an action request. Please see
paragraph 3.

2. Embassy Tokyo Political Officer delivered reftel demarche
October 22 to MOFA UN Planning and Administration Division
Principal Deputy Director Kenichi Matsuda. Matsuda said that
Japan would "carefully consider" Mr Walker's candidacy, but
it was MOFA's custom to decide "at the last minute" when
there is no Japanese candidate. The United States has been
the only country to approach MOFA; Spain and Switzerland have
lobbied for their candidates through their missions to the UN
only. Matsuda asked if there was any significance to the
fact that Mr. Walker's candidacy was announced so close to
the election, noting that Spain put its candidate forward
months in advance.

3. ACTION REQUEST: Please provide guidance, if any, on how
Post should respond to Matsuda's question.
SCHIEFFER

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