Press Conference 12 October 2004

1. International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee Meeting and Expanded Meeting
2. Japanese assistance to Iraq
3. Question concerning investigation of helicopter accident
4. Question concerning permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council

1. International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) Donor Committee Meeting and Expanded Meeting

   Press Secretary Hatsuhisa Takashima: Good afternoon and thank you very much for coming to the briefing. Today, I would like to make two announcements before I take questions.

   On the eve of the third Donor Committee Meeting and Expanded Meeting of the International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq (IRFFI) which will be convened in Tokyo on 13 and 14 October, Minister for Foreign Affairs Nobutaka Machimura will host the welcome reception this evening at Iikura Guest House for the delegates attending these meetings.

   At present, about 55 countries and organizations, including potential donors such as the Federal Republic of Germany, French Republic, Russian Federation and some Arab nations have expressed their intention of participating in the meeting.

   The Iraqi delegation will be headed by Deputy Prime Minister Barham Saleh and it will include four other ministers, among others, Dr. Mehdi Al-Hafedh, Minister of Planning and Development Cooperation.

   Tomorrow, at the opening session of the Expanded Meeting, Foreign Minister Machimura will make an opening address that will be followed by a keynote speech by Iraqi Deputy Prime Minister and speeches by Mr. Mark Malloch Brown, Head of the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP), and World Bank Vice President for the Middle East and North Africa Chrik Poortman. These remarks will be broadcast live through the Internet, audio and video transmission and will be linked to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs website.

   Related Information (International Reconstruction Fund Facility for Iraq)
   
2. Japanese assistance to Iraq

   Mr. Takashima: The second announcement is on the Japanese assistance to Iraq.

   As part of assistance to Iraq, the Government of Japan today decided to implement three projects in Iraq totaling 15.8 billion yen (US$143 million).

   Among these projects, two are related to the rehabilitation of the telecommunications system in Iraq, namely the restoration of the trunk communication network system between northern and southern Iraq and re-establishment of telephone service in ten major cities.

   The other project is to provide medical supplies and facility repairs for the general hospitals in three major cities including Baghdad. With this implementation of the three projects, approximately US$1.3 billion out of US$1.5 billion of grant assistance that Japan pledged to provide to Iraq by the end of this year have so far been disbursed or earmarked.

   Related Information (Economic Cooperation Project for the Reconstruction of Iraq)
   
3. Questions concerning investigation of helicopter accident

   Q: What was the American intention to release such a detailed report on the cause of the recent helicopter crash?

   Mr. Takashima: I cannot speculate on the intention of the US side, but my understanding is that shortly after the accident happened, the US side announced that it would release a full account of the causes of that accident once the investigation was concluded. Therefore, the release of this full detailed report shows that the US side kept to its word.

   Q: It seems that the report is very special in that it contains a particularly detailed account compared with other reports. Is that not the case?

   Mr. Takashima: My understanding is that the US side published the report following the normal procedures and in accordance with all rules and regulations, including the Privacy Protection Act.

   Related Information (Japan-The United States Relations)
   
4. Question concerning permanent membership of the United Nations Security Council

   Q: Visiting Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage of the United States of America reportedly said that the US supports only Japan's participation as a permanent member of the UN Security Council. Does this US policy not interfere with the Japanese policy for mutual support of the candidacy for a permanent seat at the UN Security Council of three other nations, namely Germany, the Republic of India and Federative Republic of Brazil?

   Mr. Takashima: The US has been expressing its support of the Japanese participation as a permanent member of the Security Council at various levels, including by President George W. Bush and Secretary of State Colin Powell. We appreciate the American support.

   Related Information (Japan and the United Nations)