U.S. official lauds Japan for Afghan aid, downplays Futemma row+

TOKYO, April 23 Kyodo -
A visiting senior U.S. State Department official said Friday that Japan and the
United States are ''absolutely core partners'' in delivering support to
conflict-ravaged Afghanistan, and declined to directly comment on the strain in
bilateral ties over where to relocate a U.S. Marine base in Okinawa.
U.S. Deputy Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan Daniel Feldman
told a press conference in Tokyo that dealing with Afghanistan is ''the most
important foreign policy imperative for the White House'' and that the
perception of Japan in that field is an ''extremely positive one.''
''I'm happy to say that in my part of the world, it's nothing but positive news
in terms of our bilateral relationship with Japan,'' Feldman said. He declined
to directly comment on the stalemate over where to move the U.S. Marine Corps'
Futemma Air Station in Okinawa because he is not in charge of the issue.
He said Japanese assistance and contributions to Afghanistan are ''deeply
valued by us and the international community.''
Tokyo announced last year that it will extend up to $5 billion in civilian aid
to Afghanistan over five years. The aid package focuses on providing vocational
training for former Taliban insurgents and training for Afghan police officers
to ensure security in the country.
Feldman, who was visiting Japan for talks with government officials, said that
the need for increasing both the quantity and quality of Afghan national
security forces, or the army and police, is ''probably the No. 1 priority at
this point for the White House.''
The administration of U.S. President Barack Obama is planning to start
withdrawing its forces from Afghanistan in July 2011 with a transition of
counterinsurgency operations to local Afghan troops.
The U.S. special representative said the transition process will not begin
unless Afghanistan has ''adequately trained, well-equipped and credible
national security forces.'' He pointed to the need to raise the literacy rate
and salary levels of local security forces.
Japan is barred from sending its troops to Afghanistan in a military capacity
due to the nation's pacifist Constitution. Its aid package also includes
covering around half of the salaries being paid to 80,000 police officers in
Afghanistan.
==Kyodo
2010-04-23 23:43:38


Delete & Prev | Delete & Next