TNAG-1420-FCO40-1903-Hong-Kong-Parliamentary-Sub-Committee-on-Race-Relations-and--1985 — Page 112

CONFIDENTIAL

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PVA (SCORRY)

1245

RECORD OF TALKS ON UN MATTERS IN TOKYO ON 4 AND 5 SEPTEMBER 1985

FIRST SESSION: 4 SEPTEMBER 1985

MKK 243/2

RECEIVED IN REGISTRY

Present

02 OCT 1985

DESK OFFICER

PEGISTRY

Mr R O'Neill, LAC95

PA

Action Taken

Mr C Yamada,

Director-General

of UN Bureau, MFA

Mr M Murata, Deputy Director- General of UN Bureau, MFA

Mr K Suzuki, Deputy Director- General of UN Bureau, MFA

Mr M Kunieda, Deputy Director,

UN Policy Division, MFA

Mr P Lever, Head of UND, FCO

Mr A Millington, British

Embassy

Mr C Wilton, British Embassy

I

1.

PROSPECTS FOR THE 40TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

After welcoming the UK team, Mr Yamada said that the UN was а corner stone of Japanese foreign policy. Attitudes had, however, changed in the thirty years since they had joined, away from an unthinking acceptance of the value of the UN towards a more critical attitude. In a recent opinion poll, 43% had thought that the UN was not doing a good job. The MFA saw a need to educate the public about the operation and limitations of the UN and would be taking the opportunity of their celebration next year of thirty years of UN membership to do so. It was this anniversary, rather than the fortieth anniversary of the UN itself, which would be the focus of domestic attention in Japan.

2.

As regards the fortieth anniversary declaration in the General Assembly, the Japanese were ready to use as a working paper the second version of the Indian draft, but would be trying to shorten it and would hope for agreement

for agreement to the document by consensus. At the urging of the Republic of Korea, Japan would be working for the inclusion of an appropriate reference to universality. Mr Abe would be in New York from 23-27 September and would speak at the General Assembly on 24 September. It was hoped that the Japanese Prime Minister could attend the anniversary celebrations, and might possibly speak on 23 October.

3.

Mr O'Neill said that the fortieth anniversary provided an opportunity for the UK to take stock of public attitudes, which now seemed better than they had been a few years ago. There was now a more realistic approach to the UN: expectations were lower, and the issue of decolonisation was no longer as difficult as it had been.

CONFIDENTIAL