Press Conference by the Press Secretary 5 July 1996

Announcements
1. Presidential elections in the Russian Federation
  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ken Shimanouchi: Before I take your questions, I would like to very briefly discuss the Russian Federation presidential election. Then, I would like to discuss the recent visit by Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukihiko Ikeda to Bosnia and Herzegovina. I think you have in front of you the statement made by Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto yesterday regarding the result of the presidential election in the Russian Federation. I will give you a summary of what the statement says. In the statement, Prime Minister Hashimoto refers to the high voter turnout and the fact that the election was held in a free and fair manner. Prime Minister Hashimoto goes on to say that he holds this in high regard as a manifestation of progress in democratization in the Russian Federation. In the next paragraph he refers to the efforts that President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation has been making to move forward reforms in the Russian Federation and also refers to the results that these reforms have achieved. Prime Minister Hashimoto expresses the hope that President Yeltsin will continue to exercise leadership in moving forward the political and economic reform in the Russian Federation. Then, Prime Minister Hashimoto refers to Japan's relations with the Russian Federation. Prime Minister Hashimoto mentions the talks he held with President Yeltsin at the time of the Summit on Nuclear Safety and Security in Moscow in April in which the two leaders reaffirmed that Japan and the Russian Federation would further develop their ties based on the Tokyo Declaration of October 1993. Prime Minister Hashimoto underscores the fact that this is the 40th anniversary of the restoration of diplomatic ties between the Japan and the Russian Federation and expresses his resolve to make further efforts to develop Japan-Russian Federation relations, including the solution of the territorial issue. Prime Minister Hashimoto also expresses the hope that the Russian Federation will address this issue seriously. That is Prime Minister Hashimoto's statement on the presidential election in the Russian Federation.
2. Visit of Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukihiko Ikeda to Bosnia and Herzegovina
  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ken Shimanouchi: Minister for Foreign Affairs Yukihiko Ikeda had meetings with President Alija Izetbegovic, Prime Minister Hasan Muratovic, and Minister for Foreign Affairs Jadranko Prlic of Bosnia and Herzegovina. I will tell you what was discussed between Foreign Minister Ikeda and President Izetbegovic. Foreign Minister Ikeda told President Izetbegovic about the discussions held at the Lyon G-7 Summit concerning the peace process in Bosnia and Herzegovina. Foreign Minister Ikeda told President Izetbegovic that there was agreement on three points. The first point was that the primary responsibility for the implementation of peace rests with the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina and its people. The second point that Foreign Minister Ikeda mentioned was that adherence to the peace agreement was most important. Then, Foreign Minister Ikeda mentioned more specifically the need to hold elections as scheduled and to make these elections a success. He also referred to the need to improve conditions for holding these elections, such as ensuring the freedom of movement and the freedom of the press, among other things. He also mentioned that it was important that Bosnia and Herzegovina maintain unity. The third point that Foreign Minister Ikeda mentioned was that the G-7 countries were prepared to extend aid to Bosnia and Herzegovina if the terms of the peace agreement were adhered to. Then Foreign Minister Ikeda discussed Japan's assistance for Bosnia and Herzegovina. He referred to the Donor's Meeting held in Brussels earlier this year. Foreign Minister Ikeda said that in this meeting Japan pledged to give at least US$130 million dollars to Bosnia and Herzegovina in 1996, and US$500 million dollars over the next four years. Foreign Minister Ikeda also said that a quarter of the contribution for 1996 had been disbursed already. Foreign Minister Ikeda said that although Japan, in geographical terms, was far away from Bosnia and Herzegovina, Japan has very keen interest in the situation there. Foreign Minister Ikeda said that Japan was well aware of how useful support from the international community can be, because half a century ago Japan had risen from ashes, and was reconstructed with foreign assistance. In response to this, President Izetbegovic thanked Foreign Minister Ikeda for Japan's assistance to Bosnia and Herzegovina. With regard to the three points agreed to in the G-7 Summit, President Izetbegovic said he would work very hard to address these issues. President Izetbegovic also said that he was determined to implement the peace agreement. With regard to elections, President Izetbegovic said that the Government of Bosnia and Herzegovina planned to hold elections as scheduled. President Izetbegovic said that he himself was prepared to assure that the elections would be free and fair. President Izetbegovic also attached importance to the support given at the G-7 Summit for the unity of Bosnia and Herzegovina. In response, Foreign Minister Ikeda said that, although he was aware that realizing peace was a very difficult task, he hoped that peace would be brought about under the leadership of President Izetbegovic. This was what was discussed in the meeting.
  
  Those are the announcements that I wanted to make, and I will be delighted to respond to any questions that you might have.
Japan-Russian Federation issues
Q: Regarding the presidential elections in the Russian Federation. Did Prime Minister Hashimoto himself send any kind of telegram to President Yeltsin?

A: Not that I am aware of. I understand that the official result has not been announced yet. However, he made this statement in view of the fact that, as of yesterday, 90 percent of the returns were in, and that it was a certainty that President Yeltsin would win the election.

Q: What kind of steps does Japan want to take concerning a political dialogue with the Russian Federation in the near future?

A: There is agreement between the top leaders of the two countries regarding how to proceed with political dialogue. In April, as Prime Minister Hashimoto mentioned in his statement yesterday, he met President Yeltsin in Moscow, where the two leaders reaffirmed that Japan and the Russian Federation would develop ties based on the Tokyo Declaration of 1993. At that time, the two leaders also agreed that the peace treaty negotiations should be reactivated at the foreign ministerial level, and that to this end, a meeting of the sessions of the peace treaty working group at vice ministerial level should be resumed. More recently in Lyon, Foreign Minister Ikeda met with Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgenii Maksimovich Primakov. In this meeting, Foreign Minister Ikeda underscored to Minister of Foreign Affairs Primakov the importance of moving forward the bilateral ties along the lines of the agreement reached by Prime Minister Hashimoto and President Yeltsin in Moscow. Foreign Minister Ikeda also underscored the importance of addressing the territorial issue and not to shelve it. In response to this, Minister of Foreign Affairs Primakov told Foreign Minister Ikeda that he would like to make efforts to move closer toward a conclusion of a peace treaty. The two leaders also agreed to meet again at the time of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) Meeting in Jakarta later this month. So the two leaders will be holding further discussions in Jakarta.

Q: Do you have any idea how soon the working group on the peace treaty will meet together?

A: That has not been decided yet.

Q: The idea of giving any territories back to Japan is extremely unpopular in the Russian Federation due to a rise in majority sentiment. Even President Yeltsin himself recently stated that the Russian Federation does not need to be giving territory to other countries. What kind of attitude does the Foreign Minister of Japan have towards this kind of sentiment in the Russian Federation?

A: The position on this issue is as I have explained to you. There is agreement between the two sides that we should develop bilateral ties between Japan and the Russian Federation on the basis of the Tokyo Declaration of 1993. We believe that efforts should be made by the two sides along the lines of this common understanding between the leaders of the two countries. Since this is the 40th year of the resumption of diplomatic ties between the two countries, we believe that it is important that we make utmost efforts to conclude a peace treaty, resolve the territorial issue, and fully normalize the ties between the two countries.

Q: Did the Foreign Minister of Japan try to dissuade officials from making a visual inspection of the Northern Territories?

A: I do not recall any such event. But, there is no problem with a visual inspection of the Northern Territories made from Hokkaido. However, visits by Japanese to the Northern Territories have to be carried out in a way that would not undermine our position on the territorial issue.

Q: My understanding is that recently the dialogue between Russia and Japan on Security matters has become much more active. Do you foresee any steps such as inviting Alexander Lebed to Japan?

A: There has been intensification of security dialogue between the two countries. When Foreign Minister Ikeda visited Moscow in March the two sides agreed that a dialogue would be held at the level of Defense Ministers. As you know, the Director-General Hideo Usui of the Defense Agency visited Moscow -- I think it was in April -- for discussions with his counterpart in the Russian Federation. We think this dialogue was very fruitful and very significant in the context of the overall relationship between the two countries. I am not aware of any plans for National Security Chief Alexander Lebed to visit Japan.

Q: Do you have any intention of inviting Alexander Lebed to Japan since he has become a very prominent figure in regard to security matters?

A: It is a little premature to discuss that because the new cabinet has not been formed yet. I understand that Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin of the Russian Federation was re-appointed as Prime Minister in the new administration. But, we do not know who the rest of the members of the new cabinet will be. We will be following very closely developments in the Russian Federation in the days to come.
Visas for foreign nationals in Japan
Q: It has been reported that Argentinean star Diego Maradona is negotiating with certain teams to play soccer in Japan. One problem is his visa status. He does have a prior record of being arrested in regards to illegal drugs. This runs against the policy of Japan in terms of admitting foreign nationals. Do you have any information about his visa status?

A: Visa regulations in Japan, as in any country, are very complicated. It would take an expert to explain the specifics of the regulations. I am not aware of any plans for Mr. Maradona to make an application for a Japanese visa.
Donor's Conference for Cambodia
Q: Next week there is a Donor's Meeting in Tokyo for Cambodia. I think there has been some discussion in Washington about some unhappiness about the reforms an political freedoms that have been occurring in Cambodia. As host of this Meeting on Cambodia, what is Japan's position on Cambodia?

A: Prime Minister Samdech Krom Preah Prince Norodom Ranariddh and Prime Minister Hun Sen, the two Prime Ministers of the Kingdom of Cambodia will be visiting Tokyo next week. They have slightly staggered schedules. They will be paying a courtesy call on Prime Minister Hashimoto. They will also be having a meeting with Foreign Minister Ikeda and members of political and economic circles. Then, they will be participating in the Donor's Conference for Cambodia, which will be co-hosted by Japan and the World Bank. Before this Donor's Conference, they will be attending an informal meeting on the overall situation in Cambodia.

Q: Does Japan have any intentions in these meetings to add conditions to current aid programs or to increase aid, and what are Japan's concerns and objectives at this conference? What will Japan be saying in this meeting? Will Japan come to this meeting with a specific message that it would like to convey?

A: It has been Japan's policy to support the reconstruction of Cambodia. We believe we have played a key role in this. We believe that this Donor's Conference, and this informal meeting will be an opportunity for the international community to give further impetus to the political, economic, and social development of Cambodia. We consider these meetings to be very important from this perspective. We are still working on the initiatives that will be discussed at the Conference.

Q: Will there be a press conference held by either the two prime ministers or by Japanese officials as host of the conference?

A: I will check and get back to you on that. Thank you very much.

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