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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Tuesday, October 6, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. US-DPRK Agreed Framework
US State Department Deputy Spokesman James Foley ("STATE DEPT. NOON
BRIEFING, OCT. 5," USIA Transcript, 10/05/98) refused comment on a report
in the Washington Post that former US Defense Secretary William Perry may
be named as a negotiator with the DPRK. Foley stated, "We're certainly
looking at ways, discussing internally ways to intensify our engagement
on this all-important issue. But I have no information on any such
nomination."
2. Clinton Trip to ROK, Japan
The Associated Press ("WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES DATES FOR CLINTON TRIP TO
JAPAN, S. KOREA," Washington, 10/05/98) reported that White House press
secretary Joe Lockhart announced Monday that US President Bill Clinton
will visit Japan November 19-20 and the ROK November 21-22. The visits
will follow Clinton's attendance at an Asia Pacific Economic Conference
in Malaysia.
3. ROK-Japan Economic Cooperation
Dow Jones Newswires ("JAPAN, S.KOREA TO SET UP BILATERAL ECON COUNCIL,"
Tokyo 10/06/98) reported that Japanese Minister of International Trade
and Industry Kaoru Yosano and ROK Minister of Commerce, Industry and
Energy Park Tae-young on Tuesday agreed to set up an economic council to
promote investments. The council, comprising both business
representatives and government officials from the two countries, will
primarily discuss Japan's investments in the ROK. The agreement is
expected to be endorsed during a summit meeting between Japanese Prime
Minister Keizo Obuchi and ROK President Kim Dae-jung in Tokyo Thursday.
The council's first meeting will be held in Seoul early December.
4. US-PRC Relations
The Associated Press ("CHINA ATTACKS U.S. DEFENSE BUDGET AWAITING CLINTON
APPROVAL," Beijing, 10/06/98) reported that the PRC warned Tuesday that
ties with the US could be damaged by the US$270.5 billion defense
authorization bill which the US Congress sent to President Bill Clinton
on Thursday. PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said that the
bill "contained some anti-China clauses," including continued US arms
sales to Taiwan and inclusion of Taiwan in a missile defense system. Zhu
said that signing the bill into law "will create obstacles to the
improvement and development of China-U.S. relations. This will also be
detrimental to the security and stability of Taiwan and the Asia-Pacific
region." He added, "The Chinese side hereby expresses its deep concern
and strong opposition to this. We hope the U.S. government can take
effective measures to prevent the above mentioned anti-China clauses from
becoming law." He also urged the US to refrain from selling advanced
weapons to Taiwan "to avoid damage to China-U.S. relations."
5. India-Pakistan Talks
The Associated Press ("INDIA, PAKISTAN TO ADDRESS KASHMIR CONFLICT IN
OCT-NOV TALKS," New Delhi, 10/06/98) reported that India and Pakistan on
Tuesday set a schedule for detailed discussions on Kashmir and other
issues. The top bureaucrat of India's foreign ministry will visit the
Pakistani capital of Islamabad October 15-18 to discuss peace and
security and the conflicting territorial claims to Kashmir. Pakistani
officials will then travel to the Indian capital of New Delhi November 5-
13 to take up other issues, including terrorism, drug trafficking, a
navigation project, the demarcation of maritime boundary, economic and
commercial cooperation, and cultural exchanges.
6. Russian Nuclear Arsenal
Reuters ("DEP PM SAYS RUSSIA MUST CUT, UPGRADE NUCLEAR ARMS," Moscow,
10/06/98) and the Associated Press (Vladimir Isachenkov, "RUSSIA POL
WANTS NUKES UPDATED," Moscow, 10/05/98) reported that Russian Deputy
Prime Minister Yuri Maslyukov said on Tuesday that Russia could no longer
afford to maintain thousands of nuclear warheads and needed a program to
streamline and modernize its strategic forces. Maslyukov, in a statement
published by Interfax news agency, said that Russia could only afford
several hundred nuclear warheads at most and, with Soviet-era weaponry
fast becoming obsolete, must press on with START II, START III and other
arms limitation treaties with the US to preserve the nuclear balance. He
stated, "We must guarantee that, in case of any unforeseen incident, we
have a strong nuclear shield that would ensure our security and be
capable of inflicting irreparable damage to the enemy."
1. ROK Contributions to US Military
According to the recently published 1998-1999 Defense White Paper, the
ROK contributed a total amount of US$2.2033 billion to support the US
forces stationed in the ROK last year, through cash payments and the
provision of real estate and services. This amount represents an amount
equal to 15 percent of the 1997 defense budget of 13.794 trillion won.
(Korea Times, "KOREA ANNUALLY CONTRIBUTES TO $2.2 BILLION TO US TROOPS
HERE," 10/07/98)
2. DPRK Aid
The DPRK received aid worth US$950.98 million from the ROK, foreign
countries, and international organizations from 1995 to last month, ROK
Unification Ministry officials said Monday. The ROK provided US$307.97
million--US$273.42 million from the government and US$34.55 million from
non-governmental organizations. The UN and international non-government
organizations offered US$643.01 million to help the DPRK over the past
four years, according to the officials. (Korea Times, "NK RECEIVES $950
MILLION IN INTL' AID," 10/07/98)
3. US President To Visit ROK and Japan
US President Bill Clinton will spend two days in Japan and two in the ROK
in November after attending an Asia Pacific Economic Conference in
Malaysia, the White House announced Monday. The Japan and ROK stops were
added to Clinton's Asia travel schedule after he decided to drop plans to
visit India and Pakistan. The White House last week said that the
president would not go to India and Pakistan until more progress is made
in discussions about those countries' nuclear weapons programs. Clinton
will visit Japan November 19-20 and the ROK November 21-22, White House
press secretary Joe Lockhart said. No other details were available.
(Korea Times, "WHITE HOUSE ANNOUNCES DATES FOR CLINTON TRIP TO Japan, S.
KOREA," 10/07/98)
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