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RUEHDBU/AMEMBASSY DUSHANBE PRIORITY
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C O N F I D E N T I A L SECTION 01 OF 02 TOKYO 003193 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPT PLEASE PASS TO E/SHINER. 
 
E.O. 12958: DECL: 06/09/2016 
TAGS: PREL EAID PTER PGOV SNAR AF KZ KG UZ TI TX
RS, CH, JA 
SUBJECT: FOREIGN MINISTERS RELEASE "ACTION PLAN" AT CENTRAL 
ASIA PLUS JAPAN DIALOGUE 
 
Classified By: Deputy Chief of Mission Joe Donovan.  Reasons 1.4 (b/d). 
 
¶1. (C) Summary.  The June 5 "Central Asia Plus Japan" 
dialogue in Tokyo produced an "Action Plan" with specific 
initiatives for regional cooperation in the areas of 
counterterrorism, counternarcotics, anti-personnel landmine 
clearance, poverty alleviation, health care, the environment, 
disaster prevention, energy cooperation, trade and 
transportation.  The group supported Japan's bid for a 
permanent UN SC seat and called for universalization of the 
IAEA Additional Protocol.  Afghanistan attended for the first 
time, while Turkmenistan backed out after first accepting its 
invitation.  MOFA contacts acknowledged that the meeting was 
timed to draw attention away from the late-June 
China-Russia-sponsored Shanghai Cooperation Organization 
meeting.  Separately, Ambassador for Counterterrorism 
Yamamoto told the DCM on June 6 that Japan plans to expand 
its counterterrorism activities to South and Central Asia 
over the next few years, and reiterated his desire to 
coordinate with the United States on this initiative.  End 
Summary. 
 
¶2. (C) On June 8, MOFA Central Asia and Caucasus Division 
Director Hideki Uyama briefed Embassy Tokyo Political 
Officers on the June 5 "Central Asia Plus Japan Dialogue" 
Foreign Ministers' Meeting.  This was the second such 
meeting, a legacy of former Foreign Minister Kawaguchi's 
August 2004 initiative that stressed Japan's region-based 
policy for Central Asia.  Uyama described the Foreign 
Ministers' meetings as the venue for developing a framework 
for Japan's cooperation with the region, while the separate 
Senior Officials' Meetings (SOM) regularly reviewed progress 
of the action plans. 
 
Counter to China and Russia 
--------------------------- 
 
¶3.  (C) Uyama  acknowledged that the timing of the meeting, 
coming less than two weeks before the Shanghai Cooperation 
Organization (SCO) was to meet in Shanghai, was chosen to 
counter Chinese and Russian influence on the Central Asia 
countries.  Similarly, Foreign Minister Aso's speech on 
Japan's policy toward Central Asia, given June 1 at the Japan 
National Press Club, was timed to deflect influence away from 
China and Russia, Uyama stated.  (Note: The full text of 
Aso's speech can be found at 
www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/speech0606.html.  End Note.) 
 
¶4.  (C) Japan, Tajikistan, Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan were all 
represented at the Foreign Minister level, while Kazakhstan 
sent Vice-Minister Abdrakhmanov.  According to Uyama, 
Turkmenistan had indicated it would send its Foreign 
Minister, but later reneged and did not attend, citing a 
desire to "remain neutral" on regional issues.  Uyama joked 
that Turkmenistan thinks that any cooperation with other 
Central Asian nations is bad.  This meeting marked the first 
time Afghanistan had been invited, as an observer.  FM Rangin 
Dadfar Spanta represented Afghanistan.  Japan has come to 
appreciate the U.S.' inclusion of Afghanistan in the regional 
organization, Uyama said, for two reasons:  it is an 
important country in the fight against terrorism and it is a 
valuable southern option for commerce and for transportation 
routes. 
 
Action Plan 
----------- 
 
¶5. (C) The ministers produced a new "Action Plan" based on 
the five "pillars" for cooperation: political dialogue, 
intra-regional cooperation, business promotion, intellectual 
dialogue, and cultural and people-to-people exchanges.  Uyama 
pointed to nine initiatives for intra-regional cooperation as 
the highlight of the Action Plan.  Japan confirmed its intent 
to support intra-regional cooperation in the fields of 
counterterrorism and counternarcotics, clearance of 
anti-personnel landmines, poverty alleviation, health and 
 
TOKYO 00003193  002 OF 002 
 
 
medical care, environment, disaster prevention, energy/water 
cooperation, trade and investment, and transportation 
(particularly through Afghanistan). 
 
¶6.  (C) The groups' effort to counter terrorism, Uyama 
shared, was placed near the beginning of the Action Plan 
because it the most important regional goal.  Although Japan 
would be hard-pressed to provide security training to the 
countries, Uyama thought it could offer capacity building 
measures.  Regarding the clearance of anti-personnel mines, 
Uzbekistan was determined to deal with the problem itself and 
declined Japan's offer of help.  Tajikistan appeared more 
interested and, Uyama said, Japan would be ready to help, if 
Tajikstan requested it.  He underscored his hope to work 
together with the United States to make these projects more 
effective.  (Note: Full text of the Action Plan is available 
at www.mofa.go.jp/region/europe/dialogue/action0 606.html.) 
 
Support for Japan's UN Bid 
-------------------------- 
 
¶7. (C) Participants unanimously agreed to support Japan's bid 
for a permanent UN Security Council seat.  They called for 
overall reform of the UN, agreed to cooperate in on the 2010 
NPT Review Conference, agreed on the need to universalize the 
International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA) Additional 
Protocols, and reconfirmed the importance of Central Asian 
countries intensifying efforts toward democratization, 
promotion of market economies, eradication of terrorism and 
poverty, and the protection of human rights. 
 
Call for U.S.-Japan CT Cooperation in the Region 
--------------------------------------------- --- 
 
¶8.  (C) In a separate meeting, Ambassador for 
Counterterrorism Tadamichi Yamamoto told the DCM on June 6 
that Japan is planning to expand its counterterrorism efforts 
beyond Southeast Asia to South and Central Asia over the next 
few years.  Yamamoto admitted that Japan does not yet have a 
budget in place to accomplish the expansion but reiterated 
his desire to coordinate with the United States on this 
initiative.  The action plan signed by Foreign Minister Aso 
is consistent with Yamamoto's goal and paves the way for 
greater cooperation on all fronts, including 
counterterrorism. 
SCHIEFFER