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I. United States1. DPRK-Japan Relations Agence France Presse ("Ex-Japanese premier hopes for better ties with North Korea," Tokyo, 11/25/99) and Reuters ("Japan PM hopes delegation will warm N.Korea ties," Tokyo, 11/25/99) reported that former Japanese prime minister Tomiichi Murayama said Thursday that he hoped his trip to the DPRK next week will better the two countries relations. Murayama also said, "while the United States and North Korea continue talks, South Korea and China are also seeking a peaceful co-existence with North Korea. But Japan alone is isolated from the process. It is undesirable that relations between the two neighbouring countries remain irregular even more than 50 years after the end of the war." Murayama will lead of a delegation of 16 lawmakers from Japan's ruling and opposition parties on the three-day visit from December 1. Officials said the purpose of the visit was to "create an environment conducive to resumption of negotiations for normalisation of diplomatic ties." 2. PRC-CTBT Ratification Associated Press ("China still plans to ratify nuclear test ban treaty ," Beijing, 11/25/99) reported that PRC's Xinhua News Agency on Thursday said head of the Foreign Ministry's arms control department Sha Zukang said the PRC still intends to ratify the Comprehensive Test Ban Treaty (CTBT) but the treaty had no hope of ever coming into effect without American approval. Sha said, "superpower though it may be, the U.S. is not supposed to possess super rights. All nations are equal." Sha said the PRC would not carry out any nuclear tests before ratifying the treaty, and would "honor all obligations under it after its ratification." 3. PRC-US Relations Associated Press ("China Condemns U.S. Missile Plans," Beijing, 11/25/99) reported that director of the Arms Control and Disarmament Department of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs Sha Zukang told the PRC-run Xinhua News Agency that any perceived threat by the DPRK "is just a pretext" because Japan does not face a military threat from the DPRK or any other nation and should not be included in a US anti-missile defense system. Asked if a Theatre Missile Defense (TMD) would spark an arms race between the PRC and Japan, Sha said the PRC would take "necessary measures" to defend its national security and territorial integrity, but also insisted the PRC would not engage in any arms race. Sha also said the development of a missile defense system will "only poison the atmosphere, undermine the conditions necessary for nuclear disarmament and breed a potential danger of an arms race." 4. PRC Construction of Missile Base Reuters ("China Dismisses U.S. Missile Base Charge," Beijing, 11/25/99) reported that PRC Foreign Ministry spokesman Sun Yuxi said on Thursday that he had no information on the Washington Times report that US spy satellites photographed the construction at the People's Liberation Army missile base in mid-October but said any nation with a strong military deployed weapons every day. Asked if the PRC would build an anti-missile system, Sun said the PRC would not join an arms race, but had the right to possess a small number of nuclear weapons and missiles for defensive purposes. 5. Spratyl Island Disputes Agence France Presse ("China thwarts Spratlys deal at Manila summit," Manila, 11/25/99) reported that the PRC declined support of a draft "code of conduct" aimed at preventing clashes and easing tensions in the Spratlys islands and other hotly disputed South China Sea territories at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) summit. Philippine Foreign Undersecretary Lauro Baja told journalists, "ASEAN and China are still holding further consultations." Baja also said the code would not be signed before the summit ends. A statement issued by the Philippine hosts said the draft called for a "halt to any new occupation of reefs, shoals and islets in the disputed area to ensure peace and stability in the region." 6. Cross Strait Relations Associated Press (Annie Huang, "Taiwan's President Accuses China Of Threatening the Island's Security," Taipei, 11/25/99) reported that Taiwan President Lee Teng Hui on Thursday accused the PRC of threatening Taiwan with missiles but would be willing to negotiate the removal of more trade barriers with after the two sides join the World Trade Organization (WTO). Lee also said military buildups such as the recent reports that China plans to deploy about 100 new ballistic missiles across from Taiwan encourage some Taiwanese to support formal independence. Taiwanese Defense Minister Tang Fei also said on Thursday that the PRC might invade the island to divert attention from a domestic crisis. 1. DPRK Humanitarian Aid to ROK Patient The Korea Herald (Kim Ji-ho, "PRO-PYONGYANG GROUP OFFICIAL ASKS TO VISIT N.K. FOR MEDICAL TREATMENT," Seoul, 11/25/99) reported that the DPRK appears to have an edge in one area - Oriental medicine. At a news conference on November 24, "Pomminnyon," an illegal pro-unification group sympathetic with the DPRK, called for the ROK government to allow its vice-chairman, Kim Yang-moo, to visit the DPRK for treatment for cancer of the rectum. The 49-year-old activist, for whom the prosecution issued an arrest warrant for engaging in a forbidden rally and was later suspended, is now hospitalized in an Oriental medical clinic as his disease entered a serious stage that ROK Oriental medical practitioners supposedly cannot handle. Kim said that he wants to receive therapy in the DPRK, which he claims has a special herb medicine called, "changmyong," which is particularly effective for cancer patients. The DPRK has already sent the cancer panacea along with some consolation money to Beijing, one of Kim's family members said. "With the hope of helping you fight the disease, we are sending some money and medicines," says a letter dated Nov. 13 by the DPRK's headquarters of Pomminnyon, or the Pan-National Alliance for the Reunification of the Fatherland. Kim said that he would soon make an official call for the government to approve transfer of the medicine to the ROK. This would be the first humanitarian assistance sent from the DPRK to the ROK. 2. ROK Aid to DPRK The Korea Herald ("HOLY SEE OFFICIALS VISIT N. KOREA TO GIVE FOOD AID," Seoul, 11/25/99) reported that the ROK Foreign Affairs and Trade Ministry said two officials of the Holy See visited the DPRK last week and extended $200,000 worth of food on humanitarian grounds. The humanitarian food aid was given to the DPRK's Catholic officials, whom the Holy See officials met. During their five-day visit, the Holy See officials reportedly discussed holding a Mass, but whether the service was actually held during the visit was not made known, the ministry said. 3. Korean War Massacre Chosun Ilbo ("US ARMY OPENS NOGEUN-RI WEBSITE," Washington, 11/24/99) reported that the US Army opened a website and a direct toll-free telephone line for the alleged Nogeun-ri massacre for the purpose of receiving information regarding the case, US Army Secretary Louis Caldera announced on Tuesday. In particular, Secretary Caldera requested any one, including Korean War veterans who served in the 1st Cavalry Division at the site in July 1950, to contact the Army with information related to the Nogeun-ri case. The direct URL to the site is : http://saig-web3.ignet.army.mil/nogunri/
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