Press Conference by the Press Secretary February 20, 1998

Press conference announcements
1. Background and schedule of the visit to the Russian Federation by Minister for Foreign Affairs Keizo Obuchi
  Foreign Ministry Spokesman Sadaaki Numata: Spokesman Numata: Minister for Foreign Affairs Keizo Obuchi will be visiting the Russian Federation starting tomorrow, Saturday, 21 February and concluding on Monday, 23 February. In the course of his stay in Moscow, Foreign Minister Obuchi will be making a courtesy call on President Boris Yeltsin of the Russian Federation. He will also be making a courtesy call on Prime Minister Viktor Chernomyrdin of the Russian Federation. Foreign Minister Obuchi will have the Co-Chairman's Meeting of the Japan-Russian Federation Joint Committee on the Conclusion of the Peace Treaty with Foreign Minister Evgenii Maksimovich Primakov of the Russian Federation. The Foreign Minister will be meeting Foreign Minister Primakov for the 10th Round of Foreign Minis- terial Consultations between Japan and Russia. He will also be attending a meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Boris Nemtsov of the Co-Chairmen of the Japan-Russian Federation Government Committee on Trade and Economic Relations. I would like to tell you the schedule of these meetings. After Foreign Minister Obuchi arrives in Moscow on Saturday, the meeting with First Deputy Prime Minister Nemtsov will take place on that evening. On Sunday, 22 February, Foreign Minister Obuchi will be meeting Foreign Minister Primakov for the Co-Chairmen's Meeting of the Japan-Russian Federation Joint Committee on the Conclusion of the Peace Treaty, as well as for the Foreign Minister Regular Consultation. The Foreign Minister will also be attending a working lunch to be hosted by Foreign Minister Primakov. On the morning of Monday, 23 February, the Foreign Minister will be making courtesy calls on President Boris Yeltsin and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin.
2. Significance of the visit to the Russian Federation by Minister for Foreign Affairs Keizo Obuchi
  Spokesman Numata: I would like to give you a brief outline of the significance of the visit to Moscow by Foreign Minister Obuchi. Firstly, this is an important opportunity for us to chart the course for further development of Japan-Russia relations in the wake of the Krasnoyarsk Meeting between Prime Minister Ryutaro Hashimoto and President Yeltsin, and also in anticipation of President Yelstin's visit to Japan in April. With respect to the negotiations for the conclusion of the peace treaty, this will be the first Co-Chairmen's Meeting to take place in the framework of the Joint Japan-Russian Federa- tion Committee on that subject. Therefore, that meeting would be of great importance in terms of exploring the possible directions for future negotiations. Another aspect of this visit will be the 10th Round of the Foreign Ministerial Consul- tations. In that framework, Foreign Minister Obuchi will discuss with Foreign Minister Primakov the follow-up to the Krasnoyarsk Summit Meeting, in which they will be reviewing the progress of the implementation of the Hashimoto-Yeltsin Plan, as well as the security dialogue and defense exchanges between the countries. Further, they will be discussing future Japan- Russia political dialogue, including the schedule for the visit to Japan by President Yeltsin in April. This schedule will hopefully include the precise dates and locations for President Yeltsin's visit. They will also be discussing the possible visit by Prime Minister Chernomyrdin to Japan. As Foreign Ministers they have many matters of common interest concerning the international scene. In that sense, we expect that they will also be spending some time discussing the Asia-Pacific region and possible cooperation between Japan and Russia in international organizations. The Governments of Japan and Russia are closely discussing how, for example, Japan can assist in Russia's work in the APEC forum when it actually begins participating in the deliberations as of this coming November. We have also been discussing the general question of how we can best help integrate Russia into the international economic community. Those types of subjects are likely to be taken up. To the extent that it is a matter of shared concern to the international community, they may also take up the situation in Iraq. The meeting with First Deputy Minister Nemtsov will be a meeting between the Co-Chairmen of the Governmental Committee on Trade and Economic Relations. As such, they will be discussing the follow-up to the Hashimoto- Yeltsin Plan, and they will be engaged in preparations for President Yeltsin's visit in regard to trade and economic relations. As I mentioned, Foreign Minister Obuchi will pay courtesy calls on President Yeltsin and Prime Minister Chernomyrdin.
3. The situation in the Republic of Iraq
  Spokesman Numata: Yesterday morning, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs Shunji Yanai called in Charg d'Affaires Muhsin Miro Ali of the Republic of Iraq and made a d marche strongly urging the Government of Iraq to make the decision to fully cooperate with the United Nations Special Commission (UNSCOM) on the occasion of the planned visit of Secretary-General Kofi Annan of the United Nations to Iraq, which is to start on 20 Febru- ary. In so doing, Vice-Minister Yanai stated that we are concerned that should the consultations between Secretary- General Annan and the Government of Iraq should come to no avail, it would make it very likely that diplomatic solutions would not be reached. For that reason, Vice-Minister Yanai emphasized to Charg d'Affaires Ali that the Government of Iraq fully recognize the importance of the Secretary-General's visit and to come to the decision that is required on its part. In response, Charg d'Affaires Ali said that he will report the d marche to his home government. Furthermore, he said that the Government of Iraq, on its part, intended to work hard for the success of the visit by the Secretary-General to Iraq.
Japan's assistance to countries in Asia facing financial crises
Q: Everyone concedes that Japan has been quite generous in its contributions to International Monetary Fund (IMF) bailout packages so far. Also, Japan is taking measures to help other countries weather the current Asian economic crisis. In looking ahead, however, I can see the same sort of criticism come out of the United States and other G-7 countries, which is that Japan needs to stimulate domestic demand. Is that a fair criticism?

Spokesman Numata: We have been exerting a great deal of effort, as you rightly stated, in helping our Asian neighbors tide over their current financial difficulties. In that connection, I will mention that, with respect to the Republic of Korea, Thailand and Indonesia, our total contribution to packages organized by the International Monetary Fund (IMF), international organizations and the countries concerned comes to US$19 billion so far, as opposed to US$8 billion on the part of the United States. This is a fact that may not have gained the prominence it deserves, which is an understatement. We are continuing to help our neighbors, and it is in that context that the Liberal Democratic Party has come up with this package of measures that the Government will be acting on. At the same time, we do realize that our own economy needs to pick up and we do need to exert maximum possible efforts behind the process of carrying it out through very intensive budget deliberations, and so forth. That is something that we will continue to work for.

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