|
|
||
|
|
|
Policy Forum Online: New:
Browse Past Reports:
Email Services:
|
|
I. United States1. US-DPRK Talks Agence France Presse ("N.KOREA ACCUSES US OF WAR-MONGERING AS BERLIN TALKS CONTINUE," Seoul, 11/16/99) reported that the DPRK's official Korea Central News Agency carried remarks from the Rodong Sinmun newspaper which said that the US is using the missile talks as an excuse to start a new Korean war. The article stated, "The United States brought about a war in the (Balkans) under the pretext of the 'issue of humanitarianism' and is trying to provoke a war in the Korean Peninsula under the pretext of 'issue of missile.'" The comments came just after negotiators from both the US and the DRPK entered a second day of talks at the US embassy in Berlin. DPRK delegates, led by Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye-Gwan, told reporters that the first day of talks held were "not good." The US delegation declined to comment. 2. DPRK-Japan Relations Agence France Presse ("NORTH KOREA INVITES EX-JAPANESE PREMIER TO THAW CHILLY TIES," Tokyo, 11/16/99) reported that Japanese officials said on Tuesday that the DPRK has invited a Japanese parliamentary group, lead by former premier Tomiichi Murayama, to visit the DPRK. Japanese Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi said that it "cannot be rashly taken as a message leading to normalization of diplomatic ties. But we must steadily make efforts, one after another." Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki told a news conference that he hoped the delegation's visit would "provide a momentum for dialogue between Japan and (North) Korea." Former Social Democratic Party (SDP) chairman Murayama also received an invitation from Secretary of the DPRK ruling Workers Party Kim Yong-Sun. Katsumi Sato, head of Tokyo's Institute of Modern Korea Studies, stated, "North Korea's government is in the process of securing food and cash for next year to sustain itself and it finds it difficult without Japan's help. My information is that the North will definitely propose establishment of diplomatic ties by deferring difficult problems. They may demand down payment or credit and push back talks on the abductions [of Japanese citizens]." 3. US Defoliant Use in ROK Agence France Presse ("US TROOPS USED TOXIC AGENT ORANGE IN SOUTH KOREA," Seoul, 11/16/99) reported that the ROK's private Seoul Broadcasting System (SBS) quoted a declassified US Department of the Army document as saying that the US sprayed Agent Orange, Agent Blue and Monuron in the area of the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in 1968 and 1969. The document reported that US troops stationed in the ROK spread more than 21,000 gallons (79,800 liters) of toxic defoliants along the zone. The report also said that about 7,000 ROK soldiers, who reportedly did not wear proper protective gear, were mobilized to spray the three types of defoliants. Photocopies of the document were released to the press by SBS. US Forces Korea spokeswoman Lee Ferguson, however, said she did not know whether the US had released any such documents as those apparently quoted by SBS. An ROK Defense Ministry spokesman said that the ministry was also checking the report. The document was dated May 10, 1996 and was sent as a reply to a letter from Senator John Glenn. It stated that ROK personnel conducted the spraying "using hand and trailer-mounted spray apparatus" and that US personnel "only advised the ROK personnel and did not conduct any of the actual spray missions." The toxic chemicals were sprayed in an area some 100 meters (yards) wide and 155 miles (248 kilometers) long, on the south of the DMZ. In another declassified US Army document entitled "Vegetation Control Program CY 1968," the US forces proposed the use of defoliants in the zone to "improve observation and fields of fire and to deny hostile forces the concealment provided by vegetation." SBS-TV accused the ROK and the US governments of covering up the story for over 30 years. Yonhap News Agency quoted an official in the ROK Embassy in the US as saying that if the report was confirmed, compensation to ROK victims of Agent Orange could be included in the ongoing US-ROK negotiations. 4. Korean War Massacre US Undersecretary of Defense for Personnel and Readiness Charles L. Cragin released the following statement on November 12 (Office of International Information Programs, US Department of State) regarding a meeting between US officials and Korean survivors of the Nogunri massacre: "We had an hour-long meeting today and each of us expressed our appreciation to the group for making the trip to the United States. We reiterated the pledge of the United States to continue to work closely with the Republic of Korea government, and assured the survivors that the Department of Defense will vigorously pursue and publish the facts of what happened at Nokuen-Ri. Mr. Henry, General Ackerman, and myself also explained how the review is being conducted. Members of the Korean group related their experiences about the Nokuen-Ri bridge incident. Both parties agreed that communication is key to the integrity of the review. The meeting ended with assurances from each of us on behalf of Secretary Cohen and Secretary Caldera that the U.S. will continue its effort to determine expeditiously the facts of what happened at Nokuen-Ri as a tribute to the shared sacrifices of the Korean and American people during the Korean War." 5. Israeli Arms Sales to PRC Associated Press ("CHINA DENIES DEFENSE PURCHASE FROM ISRAEL," Beijing, 11/16/99) and Agence France Presse ("BEIJING DENIES MILITARY COOPERATION WITH ISRAEL," Beijing, 11/16/99) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi on Tuesday denied that the PRC is buying an advanced military radar system from Israel, despite Israeli officials' confirmation of the deal. Sun stated at a press conference, "I tell you there is no defense cooperation between China and Israel and I don't think what you said exists." Israeli officials said that the sale is proceeding despite a quiet appeal from the US Defense Department to cancel delivery. 6. Taiwan Sovereignty Agence France Presse ("TAIWAN'S LEE TEMPTS BEIJING WITH FURTHER 'SOVEREIGNTY' STATEMENT," Taipei, 11/16/1999) reported that Taiwanese President Lee Teng-hui told a meeting of officials in charge of overseas affairs on Tuesday that "the Republic of China (Taiwan) is already a sovereign state. Some may want to make the ROC into the Republic of Taiwan, but I would never do this." Lee said his remarks in July that Taiwan-China relations are "special state-to-state" were only intended to "clearly state the legal and historical reality." Lee also said his policy toward the mainland remained unchanged -- that Taiwan will reunite with a mainland that is free and democratic. 7. Japan-PRC Relations Reuters ("TOKYO GOVERNOR'S PRO-TAIWAN REMARKS ANGER CHINA," Beijing, 11/16/99) reported that the government-controlled People's Daily reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi demanded the Japanese government take effective measures to eliminate the adverse impact that Tokyo governor Ishihara Shintaro's remarks have had on Sino-Japanese ties. The report said Sun accused Ishihara of calling Taiwan a "state" in a deliberate attempt to undermine the reunification of China. Sun was quoted as saying Ishihara had set a bad precedent for contacts between Japan and Taiwan and told Japan to prevent a recurrence of such incidents. 1. ROK Missile Production The Korea Times ("SHORT-RANGE SAM MISSILES MASS-PRODUCED," Seoul, 11/15/99) reported that the Agency for Defense Development (ADD) announced on Sunday that the ROK will begin mass-producing short-range surface-to-air missiles that have been developed by its own technology. The missile with a range of up to 10 kilometers, named Chonma, will be deployed to front-line areas beginning next month, the ADD said. Chonma means Pegasus. Previously, the ROK had developed and deployed two kinds of ground-to-ground missiles, Paekgom and Hyonmu, but this marks the first time that it has developed a surface-to-air missile with its own technology. "We expect the missile to increase our capability to defend against mid-flying North Korean aircraft," an ADD spokesman said. Chonma has been developed jointly by the state-run ADD and several domestic companies. Eight Chonma missiles will be installed onto a vehicle armed with radar and pursuit facilities and fire control systems. The vehicle can move at a speed of 60 km per hour to evade enemy air strikes. A single Chonma missile system is estimated as costing 15 billion won. One Chonma missile is priced at 280 million won. The ROK began developing a short-range surface-to-air missile in 1987 and succeeded in test-firing it in October 1997. Over the last two years, the ADD has been conducting performance tests on the missiles. The radar installed in the Chonma missile system has been localized by Samsung in a technical tie-up with Thomson of France. "The successful development of Chonma will provide South Korea with capabilities to develop portable surface-to-air missiles, such as the French Mistral and medium-range SAMs, in the future," the spokesman said, adding that the Chonma missiles may be exported abroad. "The missile will play a key role in increasing our air defense system near important facilities and in the metropolitan area where people are densely populated," an ROK Defense Ministry official said. 2. Alleged ROK Missile Development The Korea Times (Son Key-young, "SEOUL DENIES LONGER-RANGE MISSILE BID," Seoul, 11/15/99) and The Korea Herald ("SOUTH KOREA TO MASS-PRODUCE CHONMA GROUND-TO-AIR MISSILE," Seoul, 11/16/99) reported that ROK officials have categorically denied as "groundless" Saturday's New York Times report that the ROK is seeking to secretly develop longer range ballistic missiles in violation of an agreement with the US. Defense and Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry officials said that the ROK has nothing to hide because it has implemented its missile program, including tests in a fully transparent manner. US Ambassador to the ROK Stephen Bosworth refused to comment on the report, only noting, "We don't discuss alleged intelligence reports that appeared in newspapers." An ROK official expressed profound displeasure with the report because the report surfaced only three days before the ROK and the US are scheduled to open talks on how to loosen restrictions on the ROK's missile development. In addition, the official said that the reports made fabrications by saying, "South Korea's missile ambitions prompted President Clinton to discuss the issue personally with President Kim Dae-jung of South Korea in July." He said that Clinton had not mentioned any concerns over the ROK's missile development program during his summit with Kim. The Korea Herald ("SEOUL DENIES REPORT ON SECRET MISSILE PROGRAM," Seoul, 11/16/99) reported that the ROK Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Trade on Monday dismissed a New York Times report that US spy satellites have detected fresh evidence that the government is trying to develop longer-range missiles under a secret program. The government has not conducted secret tests to develop longer-range missiles in violation of the agreement with the US that limits ROK's missile capability to 180 kilometers, a ministry official said. "We notified Washington in April of our test-firing of a missile along the west coast and it accepted our explanation," the official said. Neither US President Bill Clinton nor Defense Secretary William Cohen has raised suspicion over the ROK's possible violation of the agreement on voluntary restriction of missile range, he said. 1. RF Security Council Nezavisimaia Gazeta ("A NEW SECRETARY FOR THER SECURITY COUNCIL", Moscow, 1, 11/16/99) reported that RF President Boris Yeltsin yesterday appointed Sergey Ivanov as the new Secretary of the RF Security Council. Prior to this appointment, Ivanov was Deputy Director of the RF Federal Security Service. 2. RF Security Threats Izvestia's Vladimir Yermolin ("THE GENERALS MADE THEIR VOICE HEARD", Moscow, 1, 11/13/99)reported that at a meeting of RF top military leaders, RF Defense Minister Igor Sergeyev pointed out that RF national security was threatened by the US and NATO. He openly accused the US of trying "to establish their full control over the Northern Caucasus" and said that the US and NATO wished to weaken the RF. Sergeyev also said that "emphasis on the use of force, neglect of universal international law norms, dictate and arbitrary approach" were the basis of the new concept of the Alliance. He called the US and NATO aggression against Yugoslavia "a challenge to Russia." He believed the terrorism in Chechnya was a tool of some strategy, and therefore would be a mistake to reform RF Armed Forces with only Chechnya-like situations in mind. Instead, he believed the RF must be ready to give "an adequate answer to a potential threat to the security of the RF and its allies." Sergeyev stressed the critical nature of the RF Armed Forces situation. Izvestia also noted that no-one would have allowed the RF Defense Minister to call the US "a potential enemy," therefore his draft statement could hardly have originated in the Defense Ministry. The report stated that it was obvious that "a consolidation of the society around the slogan 'The fatherland is in danger!' is being started." 3. RF Response to US Anti-Missile Defense Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye ("AMERICAN ANTI-MISSILE DEFENSES ARE NOT AN OBSTACLE", Moscow, 1, 10/29-11/4/99, #42(165)) reported that RF First Deputy Defense Minister Nikolai Mikhailov said that the RF possessed technical solutions to break through any anti-missile defense. "Those solutions can be used without much difficulty, if the USA push us to that", he said, "and Russia's spending would be several dozens time or even several orders lower than the costs of carrying out plans to create a national anti-missile defense" though improvement of nuclear weapon delivery means. 4. RF Ballistic Missile Production Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye ("WE MAKE MISSILE", Moscow, 1, 10/29-11/4/99, #42(165)) reported that the RF government decided to resume production of sea-based ballistic missiles, particularly the most advanced RSM-54, at the State Missile Center "Makeyev KB". The RF Defense Ministry plans to place its orders for the next five years. 5. RF-PRC Naval Exercises Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye's S.P. ("JOINT EXERCISES WITH CHINA'S NAVY", Moscow, 3, 10/15-22/99, #40(163)) reported that the first ever joint exercise of naval ships between the RF and the PRC took place to practice communication organization and to commemorate the 50th anniversary of RF- PRC diplomatic relations. The RF Pacific Fleet's "Burniy" (Turbulent) destroyer and the "Varyag" (Viking) missile cruiser stayed in the port of Shanghai from October 10 to October 6. The "Burniy" destroyer, which is of the same Project 956 class as the ships to be delivered by the RF to the PRC by the end of 1999, created huge interest. 6. RF-PRC Relations Izvestia ("CHINESE BORDER GUARDS CAME TO OUR COUNTRY FOR EXPERIENCE", Moscow, 2, 11/6/99) reported that on a visit to the Primoriye Area of the RF, a PRC delegation from the Heilongjiang Province Public Security Department visited the RF Federal Border Guard Service's Nakhodka Sea Brigade of the Pacific Regional Directorate. The delegation was headed by Senior Colonel Shi Yezian, who made a trip on board the RF "Korshun" (Hawk) patrol ship. 7. RF-Israel Arms Sales to PRC Izvestia's Vladimir Dunayev ("RADARS FOR THE HEAVENLY EMPIRE", Moscow, 4, 11/13/99)reported that Israel started work on mounting a radar monitoring system on the RF-made Il-76 cargo planes for the PRC. The plane (called the Falcon) will reportedly be superior to its US AWACS analogue. The PRC plans to buy from 3 to 8 of such planes. Each plane will cost it US$250 million, with US$50 million going to the RF. The negotiations started 5 years ago. The first plane is to be delivered to the PRC next spring. The US objected to the deal, saying that Israel had no right to transfer radar with US-made components to any third country without US consent, but Israel claims the system is fully Israeli-made. The PRC Defense Minister visited Israel this October and discussed the possibility of modernization at Israeli plants of Soviet-made MiG-21s used by the PRC Air Force. Taiwan declared that the Falcon would pose a "real threat" to it. The US promised to sell a modern radar system to Taiwan as early as this July. 8. PRC Arms Modernization Nezavisimoye Voyennoye Obozreniye's (Petr Solntsev, "THE P.R.C. GETS READY TO COUNTERACT", Moscow, 1, 10/29-11/4/99, #42(165)) reported that the PRC is planning to allocate about US$9.8 billion to modernize its military capacity. The increase was caused by changes in PRC security concepts due to the war in the Balkans. The PRC nuclear missile force modernization program hopes to develop new types of MIRVed missiles, as well as to reduce the size and mass of the MIRVs. 9. PRC Membership in G8 Nezavisimaia Gazeta's (Evgeny Grigoryev, "G8 MAY BECOME G9", Moscow, 6, 11/4/99) reported that following his official visit to Japan, German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on November 2 left for the PRC. Prior to the departure he made an important statement, saying: "I believe that in a midterm perspective one should think whether China should finally become a member of the G8. Russia is a member. It is an important country. So is China." Great Britain and France have already spoken in the same spirit on the subject. The report said that due to strategic considerations, the RF cannot but support the candidacy, despite the fact that "the coming of the Chinese colossus, though friendly to it, to the G8 table might automatically diminish the not excessively large Russian weight in that club." 10. PRC Membership in WTO Izvestia (Yury Savenkov, "THEY DRINK CHAMPAGNE IN BEIJING", Moscow, 7, 11/16/99) and Nezavisimaia Gazeta (M.O., "WAY TO THE W.T.O. IS OPEN TO CHINA", Moscow, 6, 11/16/99) reported that following two days of "dramatic negotiations" the US and the PRC "suddenly" came to an agreement. Their representatives signed an agreement which opens the way for PRC membership in the WTO. The European Union's consent, however, will be required. 11. South China Sea Piracy Izvestia (Gennady Charodeyev, "THE 21ST CENTURY PIRATES", Moscow, 4, 11/11/99) reported that pirates recently attacked the Chinese cargo vessel "MV. Chun Song" under Panamanian flag in the South China Sea close to Hong Kong. The crew of the ship were all shot. Some time ago, the RF "Marina-1" transport vessel with 20 men crew and cargo also disappeared in the Strait of Malacca. 12. RF-Japanese Territorial Dispute Segodnya ("VIKTOR ILYUKHIN IS AFRAID THE PRESIDENT IS READY TO GIVE THE KURILS TO JAPAN", Moscow, 4, 11/10/99) reported that RF Foreign Ministry refuted allegations that the RF might carry out a step-by-step transfer of the South Kuril islands to Japan by the year 2000. RF State Duma Committee Chairman on Security Viktor Ilyukhi maintained that RF President Boris Yeltsin was ready to give the islands to Japan by 2000. He referred to the agreements reached at the RF-Japanese summit in 1998. Mr. Ilyukhin, therefore, tabled a draft statement on the status of the islands, which included "a warning to the RF President in connection to his ambiguous position" for the consideration of the State Duma Council. 13. Japan and the UN Nezavisimaia Gazeta ("U.N. SECRETARY GENERAL IN JAPAN", Moscow, 6, 11/11/99) reported that UN Secretary General Kofi Annan came visited Japan for five days. Japan seeks a permanent seat in the UN Security Council. It is the second largest contributor to the UN budget after the US, paying 19.98 percent of the UN budget.
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.
Produced by the Nautilus Institute for Security and Sustainable Development in partnership with:
Timothy L. Savage: napsnet@nautilus.org
Gee Gee Wong: napsnet@nautilus.org
Kim Hee-sun: khs688@hotmail.com
Hiroyasu Akutsu: akutsu@glocomnet.or.jp
Peter Razvin: icipu@glas.apc.org
Chunsi Wu: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Dingli Shen: dlshen@fudan.ac.cn
Leanne Paton: anjlcake@webtime.com.au
|
||
