Cablegate: Japanese Revisions to G8 Nonproliferation

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DE RUEHKO #0342 0530853
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 220853Z FEB 10
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 9527
INFO RUEHOT/AMEMBASSY OTTAWA 0055
RUEHUNV/USMISSION UNVIE VIENNA 0567

UNCLAS TOKYO 000342

SENSITIVE
SIPDIS

DEPT FOR ISN/MNSA, ISN/NESS, ISN/RA, EAP/J

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: PARM KNNP PUNE JA
SUBJECT: JAPANESE REVISIONS TO G8 NONPROLIFERATION
DIRECTOR'S GROUP DRAFT FOREIGN MINISTERS' STATEMENT

1. (SBU) Japan has offered a set of revisions to the draft
G8 Foreign Ministers' Statement recently proposed by Canada
at the G8 Nonproliferation Director's Group. Japan thinks
the text is a good start but is too general and needs to be
sharpened, including by making more specific references to
various topics. Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MOFA) Arms
Control and Disarmament Division Deputy Director Chihiro
Mochizuki provided Japan's views on the document during a
meeting with Econoff February 17.

2. (SBU) The GOJ's position is that the current draft should
attempt to deliver a more positive message to non-aligned
movement/developing countries. Japan would do this by
creating sub-sections devoted to disarmament, peaceful uses
of nuclear energy, and the Middle East. Mochizuki reiterated
previous assurances that Japan shares the U.S.'s concerns
about non-proliferation, but suggested that given the
upcoming NPT Review Conference, a focus on disarmament may be
more effective. He noted the document's use of language from
the l'Aquila Statement, and suggested "we should not freeze
the language," but attempt to move on and make progress. On
the subject of the Middle East resolution, he noted the
current draft makes no explicit reference to the issue, and
asserted that "silence will only hurt us."

3. (SBU) Mochizuki said the specifics of Japan's proposal
had already been provided to Washington, but post will scan
and send a copy of Japan's revisions for departmental record.
ROOS

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