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US, Japan Vow To Continue Regional ABM Research
Tokyo (AFP) February 16, 2000 - The United States and Japan agreed Wednesday to continue research on a regional missile-defence system, despite some progress in missile talks with North Korea. The agreement was reached between Walter Slocombe, the US undersecretary of defence for policy, and Japanese Defence Minister Tsutomu Kawara in a meeting here, a Japanese official said. The United States and Japan launched research last year on a "theater missile defence (TMD)" system to guard against medium-range missiles by detecting them with satellites and shooting them down with missiles. Slocombe said although there had been progress in talks between Washington and Pyongyang on North Korea's development and export of missiles, "it does not warrant optimism," according to the defence agency official. "Therefore, it is necessary to consider a military approach," Slocombe was quoted as telling the Japanese minister. Pyongyang froze its missile tests in September in return for the partial lifting of US economic sanctions. The freeze prompted the resumption of rapproachment talks between Washington and Pyongyang, which fought each other in the 1950-53 Korean War. Kawara told Slocombe that it was important for Tokyo and Washington to continue the TMD research and "set aside the necessary funds for now," said the official who spoke on condition of anonymity. Slocombe visited Tokyo with a high-level US government delegation, led by US Deputy Secretary of State Strobe Talbott, which flew on to Beijing later Wednesday for talks on regional security issues. Chinese foreign ministry spokesman Zhu Bangzao said on Tuesday China would discuss with the US mission "the global and regional security situation, ballistic missile defense and the sales of weapons by the US to Taiwan." The TMD plan has been strongly opposed by North Korea, which considers itself as "the first target" of the missile defence system. Both China and Russia have also rejected the scheme as well as a proposed US national missile defence plan. Copyright 1999 AFP. All rights reserved. The material on this page is provided by AFP and may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. CommunityEmail This Article Comment On This Article Related Links Space
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