Cablegate: Japan Uncertain On Attendance at Centcom Iraq

VZCZCXYZ0011
OO RUEHWEB

DE RUEHKO #5564 2690834
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
O 260834Z SEP 06
FM AMEMBASSY TOKYO
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC IMMEDIATE 6780
INFO RUEHGB/AMEMBASSY BAGHDAD IMMEDIATE 0144
RHMFIUU/USCENTCOM MACDILL AFB FL IMMEDIATE

UNCLAS TOKYO 005564

SIPDIS

SIPDIS

NEA/I FOR EVANS
CENTCOM FOR LTCOL JAMES WATSON
BAGHDAD FOR POLMILCOUNS MEARKLE

E.O. 12958: N/A
TAGS: MARR MOPS PREL IZ JA
SUBJECT: JAPAN UNCERTAIN ON ATTENDANCE AT CENTCOM IRAQ
CONFERENCE

REF: STATE 155973

1. This is an ACTION REQUEST. See paragraph 3.

2. Per reftel, DCM called on Japan's Ambassador for Iraq
Reconstruction Gotaro Ogawa September 26 to present
Ambassador Satterfield's invitation for Japan to send a
civilian representative to the October 3-5 CENTCOM Conference
on Iraq in Warsaw. Ogawa was aware of the conference but
said Japan had not decided whether to send anyone. He
wondered whether it would be permissible for Japan to be
represented by someone from its Embassy in Poland. DCM
replied that this was Japan's decision, but that the
conference organizers are hoping to attract representatives
who are well-versed in what is taking place in Iraq. Ogawa
replied that he would give further consideration to Japan's
attendance at the conference and asked for information on who
else will be attending. He also wondered whether the CENTCOM
conference was coordinated in any way with the Compact With
Iraq drafting meeting that is scheduled to begin in Baghdad
on October 6.

3. ACTION REQUEST: Embassy Tokyo requests information from
conference organizers concerning confirmed civilian attendees
that we can share with Ambassador Ogawa.
SCHIEFFER

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