Okada proposes training Afghan police in Indonesia+

TOKYO, Oct. 30 Kyodo -
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada proposed training Afghan police officers in
Indonesia as part of Japan's efforts to support the reconstruction of war-torn
Afghanistan, according to a participant of a meeting of Cabinet members on
Friday.
But National Public Safety Commission Chairman Hiroshi Nakai, who also attended
the meeting, was reluctant about the idea because of concerns over security
deterioration in Indonesia following the acceptance of the Afghan police
officers.
Another meeting on Afghanistan is expected for next week, the attendee said.
Other participants were Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi Hirano, Defense
Minister Toshimi Kitazawa and Finance Minister Hirohisa Fujii.
While planning to end its refueling mission in support of U.S.-led
antiterrorism operations in and around Afghanistan, the new Japanese
government, launched in September, is hoping to focus more on supporting
people's livelihoods, such as enhancing vocational training.
Okada told a press conference earlier in the day that there is ''no option of
doing nothing'' despite what appears to be deteriorating security conditions in
Afghanistan.
Measures to support Afghanistan are likely to be discussed during the planned
meeting of U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio
Hatoyama in Japan next month.
Japan has been providing training to Afghan police officers since 2008 by
bringing them to Japan for a two-week course during which they learn about
Japan's ''koban'' police box system and other issues, according to a Japanese
Foreign Ministry official.
==Kyodo
2009-10-30 23:37:58