CONTENTS
1. Sino-US Talks
2. PRC Opposition to Spread of US Military Action
3. PRC on Afghan Coalition Government
II. ROK 1. Fishing Ban off Kuril
2. Confirmed Measures for Anti Terrorism
3. Joint Effort Made over Domestic Politics
4. ROK Practical Support for US Action
5. Comment on US Attack from DPRK
I. United States
1. Sino-US Talks
Reuters (Jeremy Page, “US DIPLOMAT ENDS TALKS WITH CHINA ON BUSH VISIT,” Beijing, 10/10/01) reported that US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly said Wednesday that cooperation between the US and the PRC against terrorism would be high on the agenda when US President George W. Bush visits the PRC next week. After two days of talks in Beijing to prepare for the first meeting between Bush and PRC President Jiang Zemin, Kelly declared his visit “successful and productive.” A US Embassy statement quoted Kelly as saying, “US-China cooperation in the global struggle against terrorism is a top priority in the relationship, a point that the President will make clearly when he visits China for APEC meetings next week. It is clear that the United States shares a common objective with China in this effort against a common enemy.” The PRC’s official Xinhua news agency quoted PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan telling Kelly that the PRC supported “action against terrorism” following the September 11 attacks on the US, but repeated the PRC position that retaliatory military strikes should involve the UN Security Council, aim at specific targets and avoid hurting innocent people. Kelly also met People’s Liberation Army Deputy Chief of General Staff Xiong Guangkai, Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi, who is in charge of Asian affairs, and Assistant Foreign Minister Zhou Wenzhong. Talks touched on a number of remaining obstacles to improving Sino-US ties including US plans to build a missile defense system and US sanctions on the PRC for allegedly transferring missile technology.
2. PRC Opposition to Spread of US Military Action
Reuters (“CHINA OPPOSES SPREAD OF U.S.-LED STRIKES ON TERROR,” Beijing, 10/10/01) reported that the PRC’s official Xinhua news agency quoted PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan saying Wednesday that the country is opposed to military strikes in the US-led war on terrorism spreading from Afghanistan to other countries. Tang said, “Military actions against terrorism should be aimed at specific terrorist targets only and should not spread to or affect other countries or harm innocent civilians.” Xinhua said Tang made the comments in a telephone conversation Wednesday with British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw in which they discussed the situation in Afghanistan, the target of US- British missile and air attacks. Tang was quoted as saying, “All actions should be taken to secure a reasonable and fair solution of the Afghan issue, to restore peace and stability in the region and to safeguard world peace and development.”
3. PRC on Afghan Coalition Government
Reuters (“CHINA, RUSSIA BACK AFGHAN COALITION GOVERNMENT,” Beijing, 10/10/01) reported that the PRC’s official People’s Daily said Wednesday that the PRC and Russia support the formation of a coalition government in Afghanistan and share a common stance on a campaign against terrorism. In a series of telephone calls on October 9, PRC Foreign Minister Tang Jiaxuan outlined the PRC positions on Afghanistan, terrorism and Islam with counterparts from Russia, Qatar, India and Thailand. According to the paper, Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told Tang the international community should support the establishment of “a coalition government with a wide-ranging basis” in Afghanistan. The paper quoted Tang saying an Afghan coalition government which was “able to cooperate with neighboring countries in a friendly manner” would benefit the Afghan people and regional peace and stability. Analysts say Russia and the PRC want Western support for their campaigns against groups they view as terrorists instead of criticism over human rights abuses. The paper also said Tang drew parallels between Russia’s conflict in Chechnya and the PRC campaign against Islamic separatists in the northwestern region of Xinjiang. The People’s Daily quoted Ivanov as saying the UN should play a greater role in the campaign against terrorism and military strikes should have clear targets and not spread to other countries. Tang also spoke by telephone with Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad of Qatar, which currently heads the 56-member Organization of the Islamic Conference. Tang noted that Islamic countries were also victims of terrorism and said the PRC was “clearly opposed to associating terrorism with any religion, nationality or region.” Tang also talked by telephone on October 9 with Indian Foreign Minister Jaswant Singh and Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai, but details were not given.
II. ROK
1. Fishing Ban off Kuril
ChosunIlbo (Heo Yong-beum, “RISSIA AND JAPAN TO SIGN FISHING BAN OFF KURIL,” 10/10/01) reported that an ROK official said Wednesday that Japan and Russia have reached an accord to ban third countries, including ROK, from fishing for saury in the waters off Russian held Southern Kuril Islands, which are claimed as Japanese territory by Tokyo. The official added that the two countries are expected to finalize the talks with a promise from Japan for compensation for losses sustained by Russia in implementing the ban. Saury fishing by ROK boats in waters around the region would be seriously damaged next year. The government rushed Chu Gyu-ho chief of the Asia Pacific Department of MOFAT to Tokyo and delivered a message that ROK boats should be allowed to go on fishing or offered alternative places. The government is also planning to dispatch representatives led by Hong Seung-yong, ROK Under Secretary at the Ministry of Maritime Affairs and Fisheries and Jo Hwan- bok, the Chief of Global Economy Department of MOFAT to Russia at the end of this week. The leaders of Japan and Russia are expected to meet with each other to ink the agreement during a summit meeting at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation Forum in Beijing on October 20.
2. Confirmed Measures for Anti Terrorism
Chosun Ilbo (Staff reported, “GOVERNMENT REINFORCES ANTI TERRORISM MEASURES”, 10/10/01) reported that since setting up an emergency task force on October 8, the ROK is moving quickly to heighten security and lend greater support to the US-led coalition. Amid the ongoing US-UK counterattacks against Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, the ROK began strengthening anti-terrorism measures Wednesday including reorganizing personnel in charge of the follow-up measures and adding more staff for more practical management. The ROK is discussing with the US on when and where to dispatch 450 non-combatant troops including 120 medical and some 320 transportation assistants. The ROK also said it is willing to send combat forces at the US request. Next week, the ROK will use its military aircraft to transport one million dollars worth of medicine and other relief goods for Afghan refugees in Pakistan. Meanwhile, US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly is set to make a two-day visit to Seoul on October 11 to prepare a meeting between ROK President Kim Dae-jung and US President George W. Bush. ROK officials predict during that meeting the US official may request financial and military support from Seoul
3. Joint Effort Made over Domestic Politics
Joong Ilbo (Kim Jin-kook, “JOINT EFFORT IS PLEDHED BY BIPARTISAN LEADERS TO BACK U.S. CAMPAIGN”, 10/09/01) reported that ROK President Kim Dae- jung and the opposition leader Lee Hoi-chang, president of the Grand National Party, agreed on October 9 to leave partisanship aside and fully support the US war against terrorism. The two leaders also agreed to activate the joint “policy consultation council,” to oversee specific follow-up measures to support the United States. The two leaders came out of the meeting with a five-point statement of support for the US-led war against terrorism. Kim and Lee acknowledged that war against terror would aggravate the world economy and inevitably affect the domestic economy but said they would work together to stimulate the ROK economy. Blue House spokesman Oh Hong-keun and the opposition spokesman Kwon Chul-hyun both said that the first meeting in nine months between the two leaders was amicable, but kept political differences under the rug. Both sides had stressed that the two leaders were meeting this time expressly to discuss government measures to support the US war against terrorism fearing that reference on domestic political issues would spoil the meeting as a whole.
4. ROK Practical Support for US Action
Joongang Ilbo (Lee Chul-hee , “ROK FORCES FOR WAR LISTED”, 10/09/01) reported that a high ranking ROK Defense Ministry official said on October 9 that the ROK plans to dispatch 450 non-combat troops in support of the US attacks in Afghanistan. The official said, “The dispatch involves about 120 medical support troops, 170 sea transport personnel that include an LST tank landing ship, about 150 air transport troops that include three planes and a C-130H cargo plane and about 10 communication officers.” The government, however, has decided not to lease civilian oil tankers, as initially expected, in preparation of oil aid to the US and British military. About 300 more troops will be dispatched than during the Gulf War in 1991, when ROK also dispatched non-combat personnel in support of the allied force against Iraq. The government is still consulting with the US for the date and place of the dispatch. Endorsement of the National Assembly is likely because both major parties have agreed to it.
5. Comment on US Attack from DPRK
Koreatimes (Staff reporter, “DPRK MEDIA REPRTES STRIKES ON TALIBAN”, 10/09/01) reported that a day after the US and Britain launched military attacks against Afghanistan’s Taliban regime, the DPRK state-run media reported details of the attacks without attaching DPRK’s customary commentary. The DPRK Broadcasting Station reported on October 9, “Strikes were launched against targets in Kabul, the capital of Afghanistan, and the cities of Kandahar and Herat also came under raid.” The station said the military action caused extensive damage to the targets and killed at least 20 people, the station said.
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Tokyo, Japan
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Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
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