Posted on 08/31/2007 9:11:32 PM PDT by DeaconBenjamin
German Chancellor Angela Merkel and Democratic Party of Japan President Ichiro Ozawa clashed Thursday over the Maritime Self-Defense Force's mission to provide logistic support for the NATO-led antiterrorist campaign in Afghanistan, with Merkel urging Japan to extend the operation.
Ozawa, head of the top opposition party, told Merkel he was against extending the mission, which lets Indian Ocean-deployed MSDF vessels provide fuel to ships from nations involved in the NATO effort, the party said.
The mission expires Nov. 1.
Merkel, however, said she hoped the mission is continued, it said.
She said many countries should be involved in antiterrorism efforts and noted Japan should bear a "heavier responsibility" if it wants to play a greater role in diplomacy and international peacekeeping, according to the statement.
Ozawa, whose party, along with the rest of the opposition camp, wrested control of the Upper House from the ruling bloc in the July 29 election, has argued that broader United Nations authorization is needed for Japan to engage in the military mission.
Merkel arrived in Japan from China on Wednesday and met with Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, who pledged to work with the opposition to ensure the extension of the mission, which is considered a pillar of Japan's cooperation in international efforts to fight terrorism.
"Japan's refueling mission contributes to German naval vessels, and is also sought by the international community. I plan to explain those things to the Democrats," Abe told reporters Thursday.
Merkel paid a courtesy call early Thursday on Emperor Akihito, and met with Japanese business leaders and gave a speech at a symposium on the environment.
"We need a common global rule and we must make such a rule concerning global warming by 2009," she said, referring to a June accord by the Group of Eight industrial countries to come up with a successor to the Kyoto Protocol by 2009.
At the German-hosted G-8 summit in June, leaders also agreed to "seriously consider" proposals to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 50 percent by 2050 — nonbinding language that was a compromise between the EU, which wants mandatory cuts, and the U.S., which opposes them.
"The more time we waste, the more measures we have to take in a shorter time," she said.
Merkel also said the U.S., one of the major emitters, is becoming more committed to the issue of global warming after Hurricane Katrina devastated New Orleans two years ago.
"I think the present situation in the U.S. is something that gives us hope," she said.
Before returning to Germany on Friday, Merkel also plans to visit Kyoto, where the current protocol limiting greenhouse gas emissions was negotiated 10 years ago — underlining her push for a new global agreement to combat climate change when that pact expires in 2012.
ping
By MASAMI ITO
Staff writer
His party reeling from defeat in the recent Upper House election, Liberal Democratic Party policy chief Nobuteru Ishihara warned Friday that failure to renew the special antiterrorism law, up for debate in an extraordinary Diet session set to start Sept. 10, could lead to the dissolution of the Lower House.
The law, which authorizes the Maritime Self-Defense Force to deploy ships to the Indian Ocean to refuel multinational forces involved in the NATO-led antiterrorism operations in Afghanistan, expires on Nov. 1.
"Afghanistan is where (Osama) bin Laden and al-Qaida (are located), and the antiterrorism law is enabling activities to prevent narcotics from Afghanistan to be sold around the world and the money used for international terrorism," Ishihara told reporters in a group interview.
"I think that the decision by the Diet (whether to extend the antiterrorism law) will be pivotal in (determining) when (the Lower House) will be dissolved."
Ichiro Ozawa, leader of the Democratic Party of Japan — the party that gained most in the July 29 Upper House election — has repeatedly expressed his opposition to extending the law.
Ishihara said the LDP is willing to be flexible enough to respect the opposition parties' views.
"I think that the members of the DPJ also feel that terrorism, which threatens the peace and security of the international community, must be prevented," Ishihara said.
"Because the operation in the Indian Ocean is a military mission, disclosure of information will be limited, but I am hoping that through information disclosure, the DPJ will gain a deeper understanding" of the counterterrorism effort.
As the only country technically able to refuel Pakistani ships, Ishihara stressed the importance of Japan's participation.
The special antiterrorism law was enacted following the Sept. 11, 2001, attacks in the United States. The law took effect in November 2001, and has been extended three times.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.