Japan: Fear US will push North Korea into fight

The Australian ^ | July 10 2003 | John Kerin

[knighthawk]

JAPAN has expressed concern an aggressive US-led plan to intercept North Korean ships and aircraft suspected of trafficking in weapons of mass destruction in international waters could spook Pyongyang into triggering a conflict.

South Korea has also declined to join the newly formed 11-country Proliferation Security Initiative because it shares a land border with North Korea and is concerned at the hard line being taken by the US.

It is understood Japan is worried negotiations involving the key group in Brisbane have become too bogged down in confronting North Korea's weapons of mass destruction when the strategy is supposed to be about tackling all trade, including such nations as Iran, Syria and Cuba.

Japanese government sources want the 11 countries involved in the Brisbane meeting to strike a balance between clamping down on the trade without provoking a military reaction from North Korea.

Officials are looking at how to crack down on rogue states that trade in nuclear, chemical or biological weapons.

The latest rift was created after US Under-Secretary of State for Arms Control and International Security John Bolton told The Australian on Tuesday that the Bush administration believed there was already legal authority to enable the military forces of the PSI countries to intercept North Korean vessels on the high seas.

This included cases where North Korean ships did not display a nation's flag (effectively making them pirate ships), the nation whose flag they used gave permission for interception and seizure, and under the international right of self defence.

Mr Bolton said he wanted the Brisbane meeting to endorse operational proposals to intercept ships and force down aircraft.

But other countries, including Australia, believe a UN Security Council resolution or an international convention would be required to allow interception on the high seas which, under present law, would be considered piracy.

Foreign Minister Alexander Downer flagged the idea of anti-proliferation countries seeking a convention but suggested the interception of ships on the high seas was a long way off.

"I don't expect a new convention to come out of this meeting, but it's possible that a new convention could be developed in time . . . no decision has been made on that but it is a possibility."

Mr Downer said it was more likely in the short term that PSI countries would explore all legal avenues to crack down on the trade within their territorial waters using weapons control regimes and tightening export controls.

He said Prime Minister John Howard would meet South Korean and Japanese officials next week, when he would discuss the latest developments in the initiative.

Mr Downer said he did not believe the South Koreans had concerns about the initiative.

Labor's foreign affairs spokesman, Kevin Rudd, said it was irresponsible for Mr Downer to be speculating about the interception of North Korean ships and aircraft. Mr Rudd said Australia needed to be aware of the PSI proposals involved before committing itself.

The 11 countries involved in the Brisbane meeting are the US, Spain, Portugal, The Netherlands, Japan, Britain, Australia, France, Germany, Italy and Poland.

[knighthawk]

Ping

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[alloysteel]

If the Peoples Republic of China thought there was any serious reason to be concerned with what North Korea is doing, they could stop it with a phone call. Japan should be much more concerned with what China will do, than what the US will do, about North Korea.

[Eric in the Ozarks]

Yup. NK does nothing without PRC's approval.

[facedown]

The same reasoning that said that Reagan would provoke the USSR by putting Cruise missiles in Europe.

[4mycountry]

>>>Japan: Fear US will push North Korea into fight

To this I say, kakkate koi!

Seriesly, did they not KNOW starting a Bush slang phrase would start a chain reaction? Huh? Come on people, work with me!!

< /funnny sarcasm >

[drypowder]

Japan and South Korea already afraid of North Korea? That's exactly what North Korea wants. It may have been common knowledge but the last thing they should have done is to broadcast it. Kim Jong Il and the PRC are like any wild animal, once fear is detected in its prey it becomes more aggresive. My guess is that another unreasonable demand or threat will come from NK very soon.

[kapj]

North Korea is a true threat to Asia and America. They must be dealt with now, not later.

What happens when North Korea gets the bomb? Will it make Japan feel more secure?

The longer we let this fester, the worse it will get.

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.