USA: ALBRIGHT/YOHEI KONO AGREEMENT SIGNING

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• published: 21 Jul 2015
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Eng/Jap/Nat XFA US Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and the Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono signed an agreement on Monday to extend for five years Japan's financial support for the 47,000 or so US troops that are based in Japan. The agreement calls for Japan to contribute 1.5 (b) billion US dollars for their upkeep. Another estimated 3 (b) billion US dollars is provided indirectly through Japanese construction of facilities for their troops and tax benefits. South Korean President Kim Daejung has informed the United States that North Korea accepts the continued presence of US troops in South Korea, a senior US official said on Monday. While North Korea has not informed the United States of its views directly, it seemed to be another step in a progressively improving relationship with the longreclusive communist regime. Even with an improved relationship between the two Koreas, the United States considers the 37,000 US troops in South Korea an important stabilizing presence, said the official, who spoke on condition of anonymity. The main US goal is to persuade Kim Jong Il, the North Korean leader, to halt the development and sale of missiles. A North Korean missile program was frozen in negotiations with the United States in exchange for supplies of energy and civilianstyle reactors. The Clinton administration already had rejected any idea of withdrawing US troops from South Korea, where they have served as a bulwark against a North Korean offensive for a halfcentury. However, North Korea's understanding of their continued presence reverses longstanding calls from Pyongyang for their departure. Japan, meanwhile, continues to register skepticism about North Korea. The Minister of State for Defense Kazuo Torashima noted at a news conference in New York that North Korea's Rodong missiles, which are similar to Soviet Scuds, can reach virtually all of Japan. However, he said he would Japan would like to see "positive developments" in the region. SOUNDBITE: (English) "We are committed to exploring ways to encourage North Korea's emergence from its long period of isolation while addressing the concerns of the international community about its nuclear and long range missile programmes." SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State SOUNDBITE: (Japanese) "We've heard this story from the Russians as well. But we are not really sure, Japan has not been able to ascertain whether that really reflects the genuine thinking or genuine feeling on the part of the North Koreans. And since we cannot ascertain that information as a genuine policy of theirs we cannot carry out policy any further than where we are today." SUPER CAPTION: Yohei Kono, Japanese Foreign Minister SOUNDBITE: (English) "The Oslo Accords, as we all know, were based upon the principle of mutuality and a final agreement can only come about through negotiations so there's a lot of, still is a difficult road ahead and we're going to be looking to the parties to make the tough decisions that will lead to a lasting peace and we are prepared to continue to be of assistance as meetings go forward." SUPER CAPTION: Madeleine Albright, US Secretary of State You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/youtube/3a92199ff284acbf277dbc2bf6334f19 Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork