NAPSNet Daily Report 22 October, 2001

Recommended Citation

"NAPSNet Daily Report 22 October, 2001", NAPSNet Daily Report, October 22, 2001, https://nautilus.org/napsnet/napsnet-daily-report/napsnet-daily-report-22-october-2001/

 
CONTENTS

I. United States

1. DPRK Military Expansion
2. APEC and DPRK
3. APEC on Terrorism
4. US-Japanese Talks
II. Republic of Korea 1. ROK-Japan Summit at APEC
2. APEC Forum
3. DPRK Food Shortage
4. DPRK Blames ROK for the Stalled Talks
5. ROK Gets Major Powers’ Support for DPRK Policy
6. UN Aid to DPRK Debated
III. Japan 1. Japanese Participation in the Peace Keeping Operation
2. Measure against Bio-terrorism
3. Salvage of Ehime Maru
4. Northern Territories Dispute
5. Peace Process in Afghanistan
6. Japan’s view to Sanctions on Pakistan

I. United States

1. DPRK Military Expansion

The Associated Press (“NORTH KOREA CALLS FOR MILITARY ALERT,” Seoul, 10/21/01) reported that the DPRK said on October 21 that it needs to bolster its military to counter a US plan to deploy more fighter jets to the ROK. DPRK official, Rodong Sinmun, said “The present complicated situation compels North Korea to increase its military power with heightened vigilance.” It added that the DPRK “will cement its revolutionary position in every way to actively cope with any situation.”

2. APEC and DPRK

Reuters (“APEC READY TO OPEN DOOR TO NORTH KOREA-JIANG,” Shanghai, 10/22/01) reported that PRC President Jiang Zemin said on October 21 that the DPRK would be welcome to take part in some of the work of the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum if it wanted to. Speaking at a news conference after the APEC summit, Jiang said ROK President Kim Dae-jung had raised the issue of DPRK’s role in APEC, as he did during last year’s meeting. Jiang said, “If North Korea expresses their desire to take part in APEC-related activities, then we will give them our welcome and support,” ROK Foreign Minister Han Seung- soo said on October 19 that the DPRK could only gain by playing a role in APEC but showed no sign of wanting to join in yet. Jiang said the PRC, for its part, supported peace and stability on the Korean peninsula through negotiations between the DPRK and the ROK.

3. APEC on Terrorism

The Washington Post (Clay Chandler, “APEC CONDEMNS ATTACKS ON US,” Shanghai, 10/22/01) reported that Pacific Rim leaders concluded the two- day Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum (APEC) on October 21 with a statement “unequivocally” condemning the September 11 attacks against the US as “murderous deeds” and denouncing terrorism “in all forms and manifestations.” While the leaders promised to work more closely to deny terrorists access to money and weapons, and affirmed the need for heightened vigilance at airports and customs checkpoints, their discussions yielded no concrete proposals. PRC President Jiang Zemin, the host of the meeting, said the attacks have “made an already grave economic situation worse.” A debate about economic remedies also ended without resolution. Although early drafts of the closing statement had called for “pro-growth fiscal and monetary policies,” and urged “decisive” action to shore up markets, the final document was more restrained, calling for “timely policy actions to facilitate an early pickup in global economic activity.” US officials said they were impressed that Jiang, who worked hard to accommodate the US desire for a strong statement on terrorism. [Ed. note: This article appeared in the US Department of Defense’s Early Bird news service for October 22, 2001.]

4. US-Japanese Talks

US Department of State’s Office of International Information Programs, “PRESIDENT BUSH AND JAPAN’S KOIZUMI MEET IN SHANGHAI,” 10/20/01) reported that following bilateral talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on October 20 at the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation forum, US President George W. Bush said the US “has no stronger friend in the fight against terror than the Prime Minister of Japan.” Bush said he was pleased “with not only the commitment, but the collective contribution” from around the world in the fight against terrorism. He also acknowledged that countries will cooperate in different ways – with contributions ranging from military activities to intelligence gathering, but stressed that the coalition “is broad and deep and strong and committed.”

II. Republic of Korea

1. ROK-Japan Summit at APEC

The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, “KIM, KOIZUMI AGREE TO RESOLVE DISPUTES,” Shanghai, 10/22/01) reported that the leaders of the ROK and Japan have agreed on a series of measures aimed at resolving disputes between their two countries and boosting cooperation ahead of the 2002 World Cup soccer finals. ROK President Kim Dae-jung and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi met in Shanghai on October 20, on the sidelines of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit. Korean officials said the two countries made a seven-point accord that includes the creation of a joint history research forum and an early launch of talks to resolve fishing disputes. Koizumi promised to seek a new way to pay homage to Japan’s war dead in an effort to avoid disputes over the Yasukuni Shrine. Kim’s aides also said the two sides agreed to boost cooperation in the areas of air travel, visa waiver, trade and investment.

2. APEC Forum

The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, “APEC LEADERS PLEDGE TO COMBAT TERRORISM,” Shanghai, 10/22/01) reported that on October 21, leaders of 20 Pacific Rim nations pledged to enhance their cooperation to combat terrorism and to rehabilitate the current regional economy. The Asia- Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders adopted a declaration on the forum’s development and a separate statement on counter-terrorism at the end of their annual gathering. The anti-terrorism statement said, “Leaders unequivocally condemn in the strongest terms the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks in the United States.” To enhance counter-terrorism cooperation, the leaders decided to work out measures to prevent the flow of funds to terrorists and tighten transportation and energy security.

3. DPRK Food Shortage

The Korea Herald (“NORTH KOREA FACES ANOTHER YEAR OF STARVATION: SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL,” Seoul, 10/22/01) reported that an ROK official said on October 20 that DPRK’s grain harvest for 2001 is expected to be around average, but the DPRK will again face a 1-million-tonne food shortage next year. The senior government official said on condition of anonymity, “Despite a severe dry spell in spring, North Korea’s grain production for this year is expected to be around average.” He said the dry spell, lasting from March until June, affected the yield of barley, wheat, and potatoes. However, according to the source, the rice harvest in fall is better than average because of good weather from July to August.

4. DPRK Blames ROK for the Stalled Talks

The Korea Herald (Kim Ji-ho, “N. KOREA BLAMES SOUTH FOR DEADLOCKED RELATIONS,” Seoul, 10/22/01) reported that the DPRK on October 21 blamed the ROK for stalling their rapprochement process, claiming that the ROK is escalating tension. The DPRK also insisted on Mt. Geumgang in the DPRK as the venue for planned inter-Korean talks. The North Korean ruling party’s Committee for the Peaceful Reunification of the Fatherland charged that Seoul has not yet responded to the DPRK’s earlier proposals for the talks. The committee said in a statement, which was broadcast on the North’s two official radio stations, “The South, instead, is reacting to our sincerity with slander against us.”

5. ROK Gets Major Powers’ Support for its Policy toward DPRK

The Korea Herald (Shin Yong-bae, “KIM WINS MAJOR POWERS’ SUPPORT FOR N.K. POLICY,” Shanghai, 10/20/01) reported that ROK President Kim Dae- jung obtained support on October 19 from the leaders of the US, the PRC and Russia for his engagement policy toward the DPRK. Kim also agreed to cooperate with the three leaders to combat terrorism. Kim held successive summit talks with the leaders of the three countries, whose support is vital to the inter-Korean peace process. They said that US President Bush welcomed the resumption of inter-Korean dialogue last month and pledged his commitment in assisting Kim with his efforts to improve relations with the DPRK. Kim received a firsthand explanation from the PRC on the outcome of his visit to the DPRK last month.

6. UN Aid to DPRK Debated

Joongang Ilbo (“NORTH KOREA CALLS FOR MILITARY ALERT,” Seoul, 10/22/01) reported that the DPRK said on October 21 that it needs to bolster its military to counter a US plan to deploy more fighter jets to the ROK. The US military said early this month that it will deploy an additional unspecified number of fighter jets in the ROK to fill in for a US aircraft carrier that left the region to support the US’s anti-terrorism campaign. The DPRK condemned the plan, saying it heightened tension on the divided peninsula. The Rodong Sinmun, the official newspaper of the DPRK’s ruling party said, “The present complicated situation compels North Korea to increase its military power with heightened vigilance.”

III. Japan

1. Japanese Participation in the Peace Keeping Operation

The Asahi Shimbun English edition (“COALITION SHIFTS FOCUS TO PKO LAW,” Tokyo, 10/20-21/01) reported that the ruling coalition is turning its attention to revising the law for UN-sponsored peacekeeping operations (PKO), now that the Lower House has passed the anti-terrorism bill. One of the main targets for the revision will likely be a lifting of the freeze on Japan’s participation in UN peacekeeping forces. In addition, the coalition might try to ease standards on the use of weapons by the Self-Defense Forces (SDF), an item that was included in the bill allowing the SDF to support US-led fight against terrorism. The anti- terrorism bill allows SDF troops to use their weapons to protect those who come under their control while carrying out their duties. The PKO cooperation law, however, only allows SDF troops to use weapons to protect themselves and other SDF members in the same area. The revised PKO law is expected to used for possible SDF missions in a post-Taliban Afghanistan. Government and ruling coalition officials are discussing whether SDF troops can be used for mine-clearing operations in Afghanistan in response to US informal request.

2. Measure against Bio-terrorism

The Japan Times (“BIOTERRORISTS FACE LIFE PRISON TERM,” Tokyo, 10/18/01) reported that the government is hoping to mandate life imprisonment as the maximum penalty for the use of biological weapons under its proposed legislation to ratify the UN convention on terrorist attacks, according to the government sources. The government hopes the Diet will approve Japan’s ratification of the convention during the current session after the Cabinet approves the bill on October 30, the sources said. Under the bill, the use of biological and toxic weapons would carry a prison term of two years to life, or up to 10 million yen in fines. Dispersing biological agents or toxic substances would carry imprisonment of up to 10 years or a fine of up to 3 million yen.

3. Salvage of Ehime Maru

The Asahi Shimbun English edition (“1ST BODY RECOVERED FROM EHIME MARU,” Honolulu, 10/18/01) reported that US Navy divers recovered the remains of the first of the nine people lost when the fisheries training vessel Ehime Maru was accidentally sunk. US Navy officials said their investigation so far leads them to believe the remains of between five to seven people may still be inside the sunken vessel.

4. Northern Territories Dispute

Yomiuri Shinbun (Toshiyuki Ito “PRIME MINISTER PROPOSES SEPARATE MEETING,” Shanghai, 10/22/01, 1) reported that the Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi in the meeting with the Russian President Vladimir Putin said that their nations should work to resolve their long-running territorial dispute over four Russian-held islands north of Japan through two separate talks. Koizumi told Putin that he would like to have negotiations for the question of title to Kunashiri and Habomai Islands, while having the negotiations for the period of return of Habomai and Shikoan Islands. Koizumi said, “There will be no progress if, first of all, (Tokyo and Moscow) do not begin negotiations to resolve the controversy over whether the four islands belong to Japan or Russia.” Koizumi also said that the Japanese and Russian foreign ministries should discuss ways to promote negotiations aimed at making headway in putting the long-standing dispute to rest. Putin responded favorably to Koizumi, saying that Russia is prepared to carry out talks with Japan under all bilateral accords, including 1954 Joint Declaration, which states that Shikotan Island and the Habomai group of islets must be returned to Japan after a bilateral treaty is signed. Putin added he finds it possible to conduct two separate talks on the territorial disputes.

5. The Peace Process in Afghanistan

Yomiuri Shinbun (Keiko Iizuka, “THE US PRESIDENT DEMANDS KOIZUMI,” Shanghai, 10/21/01, 02) reported that US president George W. Bush in the meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi stated that the US demands that the PRC and Russia as well as Japan be involved in the peace process after the corruption of Taiban regime.

6. Japan’s view to Sanctions on Pakistan

Yomiuri Shinbu (Kazuma Yoshida “GOVT TORN ON LIFTING PAKISTAN SANCTION”, 10/18/01, 17) reported that Japanese government has been wavering over the issue of lifting the economic sanctions it placed on Pakistan in 1998 in response to the South Asian nation’s nuclear testing. According to sources, Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who spoke with Pakistani President Gen. Pervez Musharraf by telephone on October 17, was asked by Musharraf to lift the economic sanctions as soon as possible. However, Koizumi failed to give a clear-cut response. Koizumi told president Musharraf that the government would continue studying the feasibility of lifting the sanctions, the sources said. In the ongoing U.S.-led fight against terrorism, Pakistan is in a position of pivotal importance in supporting U.S. air strikes against neighboring Afghanistan. Sources said that under the circumstances, views have emerged within the government in support of lifting the economic sanctions imposed against Pakistan. The government reportedly has been studying the possibility of abolishing the sanctions, not only those against Pakistan but also against India, which also has come out in support of the US-led war on terrorism. On the other hand, there remains a strong conviction within the government that Japan, as the only country to have suffered from nuclear bombings, should maintain its stern attitude in protest of Pakistan’s nuclear weapons development program. A Liberal Democratic Party official said, “The economic sanctions against Pakistan have been put into force as part of Japan’s policy of nuclear nonproliferation, so they have nothing to do with the current war on international terrorism.”

The NAPSNet Daily Report aims to serve as a forum for dialogue and exchange among peace and security specialists. Conventions for readers and a list of acronyms and abbreviations are available to all recipients. For descriptions of the world wide web sites used to gather information for this report, or for more information on web sites with related information, see the collection of other NAPSNet resources.
We invite you to reply to today’s report, and we welcome commentary or papers for distribution to the network.

Produced by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development in partnership with:
International Policy Studies Institute Seoul, Republic of Korea
Center for American Studies,
Fudan University, Shanghai, People’s Republic of China
International Peace Research Institute (PRIME),
Meiji Gakuin University, Tokyo, Japan
Monash Asia Institute,
Monash University, Clayton, Australia

Gee Gee Wong: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Berkeley, California, United States

Kim Hee-sun: khs688@hotmail.com
Seoul, Republic of Korea

Hibiki Yamaguchi: hibikiy@dh.mbn.or.jp
Tokyo, Japan

Rumiko Seya: rumiko- seya@geocities.co.jp
Tokyo, Japan

Hiroya Takagi: hiroya_takagi@hotmail.com
Tokyo, Japan

Peter Razvin: icipu@glas.apc.org
Moscow, Russian Federation

Yunxia Cao: yunxiac@yahoo.com
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Shanghai, People’s Republic of China

John McKay: John.McKay@adm.monash.edu.au< /a>
Clayton, Australia

 


Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *