ID :
141403
Thu, 09/09/2010 - 12:15
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/141403
The shortlink copeid
U.S. Navy on alert for N. Korea instability over looming succession
TOKYO, Sept. 8 Kyodo -
A U.S. Navy commander said Wednesday the United States is on alert to respond
to any incidents involving North Korea as the country appears to be entering
the process of power succeeding from leader Kim Jong Il to one of his sons.
''As we go into a period of uncertainty, it would be best for us to be ready
and to be prepared for any contingency and that's the role that we play,'' Adm.
Patrick Walsh, commander of the Hawaii-based U.S. Pacific Fleet, told a group
of reporters in Tokyo.
Walsh said that in past instances of North Korean leadership succession, there
have been ''provocations'' and ''other acts that are very difficult to
interpret and understand,'' but the U.S. Navy is deployed in the Pacific region
to keep tabs on the security situation as part of its deterrence mission.
''History has proven that, in the case of dealing with succession in North
Korea, it is an unstable period and that we should be alert to that and we
should have our forces ready for any sort of incident,'' he said.
Recent moves in North Korea have indicated that a meeting of the ruling
Workers' Party of Korea is set to be convened shortly in Pyongyang to pave the
way for an eventual succession of leadership to Kim's third son, Kim Jong Un.
Walsh said the U.S. Navy has also been watching North Korea ''very closely'' in
the aftermath of the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in March in the
Yellow Sea for which North Korea has been blamed.
In response to the sinking of the warship Cheonan, the U.S. and South Korean
navies have been working closely to prevent a similar incident from occurring
again and began in late July a series of joint drills aimed at sending a
message of deterrence to Pyongyang.
While Japan sent four Maritime Self-Defense Force members as observers to the
first exercises held in the Sea of Japan, Walsh said there are talks going on
between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington on the possibility of Japan taking full
part in such drills in the future.
On Tuesday's collisions between a Chinese fishing vessel and Japan Coast Guard
patrol boats in Japanese waters in the East China Sea near the Senkaku Islands
disputed between Tokyo and Beijing, the U.S. commander said he is ''in a
position to respond to any request'' from the MSDF concerning the case.
Walsh said, however, that it is up to Japan and China to resolve the matter
diplomatically.
==Kyodo
A U.S. Navy commander said Wednesday the United States is on alert to respond
to any incidents involving North Korea as the country appears to be entering
the process of power succeeding from leader Kim Jong Il to one of his sons.
''As we go into a period of uncertainty, it would be best for us to be ready
and to be prepared for any contingency and that's the role that we play,'' Adm.
Patrick Walsh, commander of the Hawaii-based U.S. Pacific Fleet, told a group
of reporters in Tokyo.
Walsh said that in past instances of North Korean leadership succession, there
have been ''provocations'' and ''other acts that are very difficult to
interpret and understand,'' but the U.S. Navy is deployed in the Pacific region
to keep tabs on the security situation as part of its deterrence mission.
''History has proven that, in the case of dealing with succession in North
Korea, it is an unstable period and that we should be alert to that and we
should have our forces ready for any sort of incident,'' he said.
Recent moves in North Korea have indicated that a meeting of the ruling
Workers' Party of Korea is set to be convened shortly in Pyongyang to pave the
way for an eventual succession of leadership to Kim's third son, Kim Jong Un.
Walsh said the U.S. Navy has also been watching North Korea ''very closely'' in
the aftermath of the sinking of a South Korean naval vessel in March in the
Yellow Sea for which North Korea has been blamed.
In response to the sinking of the warship Cheonan, the U.S. and South Korean
navies have been working closely to prevent a similar incident from occurring
again and began in late July a series of joint drills aimed at sending a
message of deterrence to Pyongyang.
While Japan sent four Maritime Self-Defense Force members as observers to the
first exercises held in the Sea of Japan, Walsh said there are talks going on
between Tokyo, Seoul and Washington on the possibility of Japan taking full
part in such drills in the future.
On Tuesday's collisions between a Chinese fishing vessel and Japan Coast Guard
patrol boats in Japanese waters in the East China Sea near the Senkaku Islands
disputed between Tokyo and Beijing, the U.S. commander said he is ''in a
position to respond to any request'' from the MSDF concerning the case.
Walsh said, however, that it is up to Japan and China to resolve the matter
diplomatically.
==Kyodo
