Joint Press Conference
on Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting

Speakers	:	Mr. Masahiko Koumura State Secretary Ministry of Foreign Affairs Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE Chairman of the South Pacific Forum Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Date	:	October 13, 1997
Time	:	17:53 to 18:14
Location	:	Conference Room 760 Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Attendants	:
Approximately 50 journalists

Introduction to the joint press conference
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: I would like to now start the Joint Press Conference of the Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting. State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura will make a short statement as Chair of the meeting. Then, on behalf of the South Pacific Forum (SPF), Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands will also make a short statement. This will be followed by a question and answer session. State Secretary Koumura and Sir Geoffrey will respond to questions from the press. We will have 20 minutes for this joint press conference. But looking at the progress of this meeting, we would like to adjust the timing accordingly. State Secretary Koumura, please.
Statement by State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura
State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura: The Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting that was held today was successfully concluded earlier. From the South Pacific Forum (SPF) we had the attendance of Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry of the Cook Islands and other heads of state, prime ministers, foreign ministers and representatives from each respective country. This Japan-SPF Summit Meeting was the first one held between the SPF Leaders and Japan. The fact that high-ranking participants from all the SPF members attended this Summit agreed to the purport and principle of the meeting clearly demonstrates the close relations between Japan and SPF members. I wish to briefly give you the outline as Chairman of this meeting, and then ask SPF Chairman, Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry, for his remarks. Then, we will invite questions from all of you. The Summit Meeting was held to explore unique and creative ways of economic development to achieve economic self-reliance of Pacific Island countries faced with difficult constraints, because of the island-nation status. To be more specific, the meeting was held for holding discussions at the leaders' level on ways to promote trade, investment and tourism between Pacific Island countries and Japan and to encourage economic self-reliance. I believe the following three successful results were achieved at the Summit Meeting. Firstly, to achieve economic self-reliance of Pacific Island countries, the promotion of trade, investment and tourism is a key. At this meeting, a candid exchange of views took place at the Leaders' level on ways to achieve economic self-reliance, and we were able to deepen discussions. Secondly, Japan and SPF members have already been closely cooperating at various international fora, including the United Nations. We were able to agree on a further closer cooperation on important commonly shared issues between Japan and the SPF such as environmental issues, e.g., climate change, fishery resource management and others. Thirdly, as an evidence of Japan-SPF cooperation, the Japan-SPF Summit Meeting Declaration was adopted. Very shortly, copies will be distributed to you. The Declaration covers the cooperation between Japan and SPF members to date, and is epoch-making in stating future cooperation. I believe this is a major outcome of this Summit Meeting. In our meeting, we focussed mainly on three topics. One is the current economic situation in Pacific Island countries and development, economic cooperation in Pacific Island countries and common issues and future cooperation. These three items were taken up. In addition, we did discuss person-to-person exchanges and communication between Japan and the SPF, and we were able to reach an agreement on the need for such communication. Japan shares the Pacific together with SPF members. Therefore, we place a great importance on our relations with the SPF, including the adoption of the Japan-SPF Summit Meeting Declaration. We wish further reinforce our relations. I wish to conclude my report with my deep respect for the efforts made by Japan and SPF members in organizing this meeting. I hope that Japan-SPF relations will become even closer and will deepen in the coming years. Thank you very much.
Statement by Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Thank you very much. Prime Minister Sir Geoffrey Henry, please.

Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: Thank you very much. On behalf of the leaders and the ministers representing the South Pacific Forum countries which participated in this Summit Meeting, I just wanted say how grateful we all are for the fact that this historical occasion was made possible by the desire of the Government of Japan to establish a closer developing relationship between Japan and the Pacific Island countries. We have been the benefactors of tremendous hospitality at a very historical occasion. We see this meeting as the foundation for enduring future cooperation. The three issues have tremendous importance to us people of the South Pacific -- One is sustainable economic development. The other is our environment, and the other -- just as important as the other two -- is the management of social equity risks or issues such as health, education and training of our people. All of these three issues were touched upon in the discussions held today in a frank manner. I want to congratulate the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs of Japan for his patience in allowing some fairly frank comments to be made by those who attended the meeting. I think he handled the meeting extremely well. I believe that there is room for development, but this meeting has gone a long way toward establishing a better understanding and much closer developing relationship between Japan and the members of the South Pacific Forum. Thank you very much.
Questions and answers from the Press
Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Thank you very much. We would now like to move on to the question and answer session. If you have a question, please raise your hand and state your name and affiliation. Please, go ahead.
1. Reduction in greenhouse gas emission levels
  Journalist: Environment is a shared issue. I have a question for Sir Geoffrey Henry. The Government of Japan will be hosting COP3 in Kyoto in December. Japan has proposed a five percent reduction of CO2 emission by the year 2010, compared to the 1990 level. Some people have voiced that this is insufficient. Was this discussed during the meeting?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: It was briefly discussed at the meeting. As for my personal view -- I have my own personal view. The Cook Islands will present its own personal view at the Kyoto Conference. But the South Pacific Forum position is quite clear. At our meeting, which was held recently in the Cook Islands, the South Pacific Forum issued a position on climate change in which it declared its commitment to the reduction at the highest level of greenhouse gas emission around the world. That call was not just to Annex I parties to the UNFCCC, but also to all other developing nations who are increasingly becoming responsible for emitting a great amount of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. That is the South Pacific Forum position. The Cook Islands position and that of the small island states supports the position by the Alliance of Small Island States (AOSIS). The draft protocol from that meeting of the Alliance of Small Island States calls for a 20 percent reduction in the emission of greenhouse gases relative to the year 1990, and for that to be achieved by the year 2005. That is the position of the Cook Islands, and that is the position that the Cook Islands will be taking at the Kyoto Conference. We understand that your Prime Minister has announced a five percent reduction with a fairly complicated formula by which that is to be achieved, as well as calling for reduction beginning in the year 2008 and between the year 2008 and 2012. That is lower than the draft of protocol call of the AOSIS. It is also lower than the call by the European Union.
  
  Journalist: Regarding the proposal by Japan for a five percent reduction, compared to the EU proposal and also compared to other foreign countries' proposals, this seems to be a smaller reduction. During the course of the meeting, did you make any formal requests or demands to the Japanese Government? If so, what was the response by the Government of Japan to such requests? What are your views with regard to the response given by the Government of Japan, if any?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: No, we did not make any specific requests to the Government of Japan through this meeting to reconsider its five percent objective. We believe the proper place for that is the Kyoto Conference. So, we did not make a request, we did not get a response, and we therefore have no view about the lack of response.
  
  Journalist: Related to that question, what kind of discussion took place today on environmental issues?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: There were presentations to the meeting by various countries selected to make those presentations. That was the nature of the discussion.
2. Reduction in Japanese Official Development Assistance (ODA)
  Journalist: I am just wondering whether you have got any commitment from Japan out of this meeting to continue its aid assistance to the Pacific Island countries, considering Prime Minister Hashimoto says he wants to cut development aid by 10 percent. Did you get any commitment on that from the Japanese?
  
  State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura: Regarding the Official Development Assistance (ODA) issue, because of budgetary problems, reduction by 10 percent for ODA is already decided. So, that reduction will take place. However, that does not apply uniformly to all countries and to all forms of assistance. We consider SPF member countries to be our important friends. So, in that sense, we will try to continue to provide assistance as much as we can in the future. That has been included in our joint statement -- our policy has been included in the joint statement.
  
  Journalist: The Pacific Island countries' opinion about that aid -- I believe a lot of it is tied to exploitation of fisheries in your exclusive economic zones. Are you happy about that? Are the Japanese using this as a sort of lever to exploit your resources? Are they paying a fair price?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: I think one of the most important points that has emerged from the discussions, although it was not an explicitly articulated point is that in any aid arrangement, it is a two-way process. It is a give-give from both sides, and it is therefore a win-win situation for both. In terms of the aid program that has just been described by the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs, the important point there is that we have had the opportunity to express our desire for the current amount of the Japanese ODA going to the Pacific, remaining untouched. And as the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs has explained, the way they are going to handle the program is not an across-the-board cut of one percent, but a reduction across-the-board cut of 10 percent -- a reduction of 10 percent eventually in the nature and the structure of its ODA assistance. Exploitation, I do not know what the word means.
  
  Journalist: Regarding this 10 percent ODA budget reduction, to start with, I understand that only one percent of the total Japanese ODA goes to Pacific Island nations. That is the current situation. You are making economic self-sufficiency efforts. With this one percent figure, this would cause you enormous difficulties. How would you view this situation?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: The one percent of Japanese ODA represents a very large sum of money in dollar terms. It may be small in percentage terms in relation to the overall ODA program of your country. But in dollar terms, it represents a very large amount for our Pacific Island nations.
  
  State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura: I would like to add to that. In terms of per capita assistance and compared to our assistance to other nations and other regions, what we provide to the FICs is the largest.
  
  Journalist: To be more specific, could you give us the specific figures for this assistance?
  
  State Secretary for Foreign Affairs Masahiko Koumura: Looking at the per capita assistance for the Oceania region, this is US$25.2 per capita, followed by East Asia which is US$6.6 per capita.
3. Prime Minister's greeting of members of the South Pacific Forum
  Journalist: I heard today that Prime Minister Hashimoto had a statement ready for you and had it read to you by someone from the Foreign Ministry -- a greeting of a kind that prime ministers usually do not write and sometimes do not even read. I was wondering if, since then, he had been in touch with anyone from the South Pacific Forum, or if you had you had heard anything from him since that time? Was this discussed during the meeting?
  
  Chairman of the South Pacific Forum, Hon Sir Geoffrey Henry, KBE, Prime Minister of the Cook Islands: Perhaps we can dispose of this question fairly quickly by my saying that the speech was read from the Prime Minister and was read by the State Secretary for Foreign Affairs on his behalf. I think you know, as well as anyone else in this room, exactly why he could not be present at the meeting. We received the apologies of the Prime Minister at his being called away on a very important matter. For us politicians, it is the sort of thing that happens pretty much as part of our career. We understand and we accepted the reasons given. And we understand also that he will be able to host us for dinner tonight.
  
  Spokesman for the Ministry of Foreign Affairs: Thank you very much. This concludes the joint press conference.

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Joint Press Conference on Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting

Joint Press Conference
on Japan-South Pacific Forum Summit Meeting