US Deputy Secretary of State Richard Armitage met with Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi on Monday and praised Japan for its dispatch of Self-Defence Forces (SDF) to Iraq to assist in reconstruction work, Japanese officials said. Armitage, who visited China and Mongolia prior to his trip to Japan, also agreed with Kawaguchi on the importance of promoting international cooperation to make Iraq's rehabilitation successful, they said.
Armitage and Kawaguchi also exchanged views on Iran's nuclear program. On Iraq, Armitage was quoted as telling Kawaguchi that the United States appreciates and welcomes Japan's quick move to provide assistance for Iraq's reconstruction, including its SDF dispatch and the sending of around 600 police cars to the war-torn country.
The US official added that such action is a good model for promoting reconstruction efforts. In his earlier meeting with Japanese Defence Agency Director General Shigeru Ishiba, Armitage also welcomed the SDF dispatch and said that the US will do its best to provide information to Japan concerning possible terrorist attacks. An advance team of the Ground Self-Defence Force is now in the southern Iraqi city of Samawah to prepare for the arrival of the main contingent. Part of the main team is expected to leave for Iraq on Tuesday.
Japan has also sent the core unit of Air Self-Defence Force troops to Kuwait and Qatar to make final preparations for airlifting relief goods and possibly US-led coalition soldiers to Iraq. Armitage is in Tokyo to attend the Japan-US Strategic Dialogue on Monday night and Tuesday. Vice Foreign Minister Yukio Takeuchi represents Japan in the dialogue.
A senior Australian official will also join Armitage and Takeuchi on Tuesday for trilateral security talks. Kawaguchi called for more unity in the international community to make Iraq's reconstruction a success, while Armitage stressed that the role of the United Nations will become increasingly important to advance the political process in Iraq.
Source: Kyodo News
