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August 3, 1978

Cable No. 1513, Ambassador Sato to the Foreign Minister, 'Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China Negotiations (10th Meeting)'

極秘

 

総番号 (TA) R055745  5502  主管

 

78年  月03日18時50分 中国発

 

78年08月03日20時07分 本省着  ア局長

 

外務大臣殿  佐藤大使

 

日中平和友好条約交渉(第10回会議)

 

第1513号 極秘 大至急

 

(限定配布)

 

往電第1512号別電

 

 本日は、既に第十回目の会談を迎えた。現在日本側も中国側もこの交渉を成功させるために真けんに努力を続けている。昨日の第九回会談において、韓副部長は更に一つの新しい提案を提示された。われわれは、中国側のこのような積極的な態度を評価する。われわれは、中国側のこの新しい提案を真けんにかつじゆう分に検討致した。しかし、われわれの結論は、残念ながら、この提案に同意できないということである。

 

 私は、以下にわれわれの考え方を若干御説明したいと思う。

 

 まず第一に、反は権条項の第1文を「両締約国がこの条約に基づいて平和友好関係を強固にし発展させることは、第三国に対するものではない。」と書き代えるとの提案については、われわれは、この案は、1975年の中国側条約案第2条第1文と基本的に何ら変つていないと考えざるを得ない。

 

 私は、従来より、この条約自体が全体として何れかの国を敵視してその利益を害するものではないことをはつきりいう必要があると一再ならず申し述べて来た。日本側のこの考え方は、現在でも基本的には全く変りがない。しかるに、中国側の新しい提案は、このような考え方が反えいされていない。日本側としては、上述のような考え方を反えいした条文を条約の中に入れることが必要であると考えている。われわれは、中国側もこの条約を何れかの国を敵視し、その国に対抗するものと考えているのではないと理解している。従つて、このような考え方を反えいした条文をお互いに努力し、工夫して考え出したいと強く希望するものである。

 

 日本側はこのような希望に基づいて、第八回会談において日本側の新しい案文を提出したのである。それは、共同声明の精しんから後退していないばかりか、共同声明の趣旨にちゆう実に沿つたものであると考える。もし中国側が、日本側提案の「何れかの第三国」という表現に同意出来ないというのであれば、上述の考え方に沿つた中国側の受入れ可能な新しい案文をぜ非考え出していただきたく重ねて中国側にお願いする。われわれも、更に考えて見たいと思う。

 

 第二に、中国側は、日本側条約案の第1条を削除しなければならないと言われた。日本側条約案の第1条は、日中共同声明第8項に明記されている平和友好条約の目的をそのまま規定したものである。条約本文の冒頭において、既に合意されている条約の目的を明確に規定することは極めて自然であり、公明正大なものであり、かつ日中双方の共通点を反えいするものでもある。従つて、この条項を削除するということには、われわれは同意できない。

 

 昨日も申し上げたとおり、日中双方は21日以来の会談において、既に相当大きな成果を上げた。日中双方の基本的考え方は極めて多くの点で一致している。従つて、私は現在問題のしよう点となつている反は権条項についても、日中双方が受入れ可能な条文が双方の努力によりさがし出せないはずはないと考える。交渉を促進させ、一日も早い条約締結を実現させるとの見地から、上述の日本側の考え方に対し中国側の理解が得られるよう期待する。

 

(了)

 

Number: (TA) R055745     5502

Primary: Asian Affairs Bureau Director-General

 

Sent: China, August 3, 1978, 18:50

Received: MOFA, August 3, 1978, 20:07

 

To: The Foreign Minister      

From: Ambassador Sato

 

Treaty of Peace and Friendship between Japan and China Negotiations (10th Meeting)

 

No. 1513 Secret Top Urgent

(Limited Distribution)

Outgoing Telegram 1512 Separate Telegram

 

Today, we had our 10th meeting.  The Japanese and Chinese sides are now continuing to work seriously for the success of these negotiations. At yesterday’s 9th meeting, Vice Minister Han again presented a new proposal. We appraise such a positive attitude on the part of the Chinese side. We seriously and thoroughly examined the Chinese side’s new proposal. However, our conclusion, regrettably, is that we cannot agree to this proposal.

 

I would like to explain something about our thinking.

 

First, regarding the proposal to replace the first sentence of the anti-hegemony clause with “The solidifying and developing of relations of peace and friendship between the contracting parties on the basis of this treaty is not directed against third countries,” we have to consider this draft to be basically no different than Sentence 1, Article 2, of the Chinese side’s treaty draft of 1975.

 

I have repeatedly said that, more than before, it is necessary to say clearly that this treaty in toto does not regard any country with hostility and is not prejudicial to its interests. There is basically no change, even now, to this thinking of the Japanese side. However, the Chinese side’s new proposal does not reflect such thinking. The Japanese side considers it necessary to put into the treaty text reflecting such thinking.  Our understanding is that the Chinese side, too, does not consider this treaty as something that regards any country with hostility or confronts that country. Accordingly, we strongly hope to work together to devise and work out a treaty draft reflecting such thinking.

 

The Japanese side, on the basis of such a hope, put forth the Japanese side’s new draft at the 8th meeting. Far from retreating from the spirit of the Joint Communique, we think that it faithfully follows the Joint Communique’s intent. If the Chinese side cannot agree to the expression “any third country” in the Japanese side’s proposal, then I request once again that the Chinese side by all means devise a new draft that follows the aforementioned thinking and is acceptable to the Chinese side. We would also like to give it further thought.

 

Second, the Chinese side said that the Japanese side’s must remove Article 1 from its draft. Article 1 of the Japanese side’s draft stipulates the objectives of the treaty of peace and friendship reflected in Article 8 of the Japan-China Joint Communique. At the beginning of the treaty text, it is extremely natural to stipulate clearly the treaty objectives already agreed upon, it is fair and upright, and it reflects the points in common between the Japanese and Chinese sides. Accordingly, we cannot agree to the removal of this clause.

 

As I said yesterday, the Japanese and Chinese sides have obtained considerable results in the meetings since the 21st. The basic thinking of the Japanese and Chinese sides is in agreement on a great many points. Accordingly, regarding as well the anti-hegemony clause, which is the issue presently in focus, I think that we must find in working together a draft acceptable to the Japanese and Chinese sides. From the standpoint of moving the negotiations forward, I hope to obtain the Chinese side’s understanding for the aforementioned thinking of the Japanese side.

 

(End)

The Japanese delegation does not approval of the latest Chinese proposal because of the anti-hegemony clause.


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Source

2010-367, Act on Access to Information Held by Administrative Organs. Also available at the Diplomatic Archives of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan. Contributed by Yutaka Kanda and translated by Stephen Mercado.

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