Posted on 04/08/2005 5:09:47 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Japan reiterates support to UNSC reform by September
(Kyodo) _ Japan reiterated its support Friday of a proposal by U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan to decide on the expansion of the U.N. Security Council by September, a day after the United States expressed opposition to the idea.
Japan has supported Annan's call to resolve the issue by September and has taken "a somewhat different stance than the United States," Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiken Sugiura said in a press conference.
Speaking as a government spokesman, Sugiura called on Washington to get involved in reforming the powerful council as Tokyo aims to gain permanent membership there and Washington has committed to backing the goal.
"The United States has repeatedly committed to supporting Japan becoming a permanent Security Council member on such occasions as Japan-U.S. summit talks," he said.
"Our country believes the United States' engagement is important to reform the Security Council, so we will continue to call for its cooperation through the exchange of opinions in bilateral meetings and at every other opportunity," he said.
Speaking Thursday before the 191-member body in New York, Shirin Tahir-Kheli, senior adviser to U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on U.N. reform, expressed opposition to Annan's call and sought a consensus "without artificial deadlines."
Ping!
Japan on Friday backed Secretary-General Kofi Annan's call for the adoption of a U.N. reform package by September, despite opposition by Tokyo's top ally, the United States.
In recent months, Japan has escalated its push for a permanent position on the U.N. Security Council as it moves to assume a higher diplomatic profile in line with its economic might.
"I think this is good timing for reform as there have been growing calls for it this year," Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi told reporters Friday.
Annan on Thursday said that a decision on how to expand the Security Council should be pushed through the U.N. General Assembly with a two-thirds majority if all 191 member states fail to agree on a reform plan by September.
Decisions on important issues such as Security Council reform usually require consensus.
The United States joined Russia and China in opposing Annan's call for adoption of the entire package at a summit of world leaders in September, saying they were against "artificial deadlines." ADVERTISEMENT
All three countries have veto power as permanent Security Council members.
Japanese officials on Friday played down their differences with the United States, which has frequently expressed support for a Japanese seat on the council.
"Japan supports Mr. Annan's stand," said Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiken Sugiura. "There's a little difference in nuance in what the United States said. The U.S. has said often, however, ... that it supports Japan's membership to the UNSC."
Japan's quest for council membership has been complicated by its troubled relations with other Asian countries, particularly China, who feel Tokyo has not been contrite enough over its military
Aren't they having anti-Japanese demonstrations in China presently? Japan should come clean with it's past and correct their history books, etc.
Yes. The protest is popping up in China. It the way Chinese government would show its displeasure.
I wouldn't be surprised if it's not a bit of hard ball to push Japan in the other direction: I think Washington wants Tokyo to revise Article 9 sooner rather than later, and I rather suspect that Washington would like to see commitment to healthier defense budgets from Tokyo.
That's the way I read the tea leaves also. However, the frequency is a bit more than I would have thought if that were the only reason for Japan-baiting. I wouldn't be surprised to see another rabbit pop out of this hat.
I rather suspect that Washington would like to see commitment to healthier defense budgets from Tokyo.
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Yea, for good reason. Japan is right at the center of a fast changing part of the future and a strongly armed democracy would there would be good for American interests. It would help if Europe boosted it's defense spending too.
I'm for a proposal that would kick France off and put Japan on. :)
That is a possibility I haven't thought about.
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