Saudi FM calls Indian, Pakistani counterparts to discuss developments    Al Hilal thrash Gwangju to reach AFC Champions League Elite semi-finals    Saudi Arabia cracks down on fraudulent Hajj campaigns, urges pilgrims to use official channels    Nammos Amala Resort to open soon with Saudi-Greek designs    Saudi Arabia completes 674 Vision 2030 initiatives, achieves 93% of KPIs as ninth-year milestone marked    Literature Commission inaugurates Saudi Pavilion at Muscat Book Fair    Saudi Minister of Culture holds talks with his Costa Rican counterpart in Jeddah    Alkhorayef praises advancements in Al-Kharj food industries sector    MHRSD: 80% of recruitment offices are non-compliant with regulations    At least 50 Palestinians killed in Israeli strikes across Gaza    Teenage girl killed in French school stabbing attack    Trump claims meeting with China after Beijing denies any trade negotiations    GACA chief chairs 16th meeting of the Steering Committee on aviation's strategy    Saudi Theater Commission launches its Work and Learn Project in UK    The season has begun — and one comment shook us all    Jennifer Lopez dazzles in Jeddah with a Formula 1 performance    Saudi Arabia open to expanded 64-team World Cup in 2034, says sports minister    Average life expectancy in Saudi Arabia rises to78.8 years    Film Commission launches 'Cinema' initiative to enhance content    Famed Philippine film star Nora Aunor dies at 71    Pakistani star's Bollywood return excites fans and riles far right    Veteran Bollywood actor Manoj Kumar dies at 87    Bollywood actress vindicated over boyfriend's death after media hounding    Grand Mufti rules against posting prayers and preaching in mosques on social media    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Bush, Japanese leader discuss North Korean nuclear standoff at mountain retreat
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 27 - 04 - 2007


President George W. Bush and
Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe discussed strategy
Friday to press North Korea to fulfill its pledge to begin
abandoning nuclear weapons.
The meeting at this isolated presidential retreat in
Maryland's Catoctin Mountains took place as some of Abe's
fellow conservatives in Japan question what is seen as a
softening of Bush's tactics against the North. In February,
North Korea pledged to drop its nuclear weapons program but
has refused to redeem that promise by shutting down its
nuclear reactor, according to AP.
Abe's first trip to the United States as prime minister
began Thursday, highlighted by dinner at the White House.
Bush and his wife, Laura, walked across Pennsylvania
Avenue to call on Abe and his wife, Akie, at Blair House,
the guest residence for visiting foreign leaders. They
strolled, four abreast, up the White House driveway for an
informal dinner in the Bushes' private residence. «Nice
day for a walk,» the president said, although a cloudy sky
threatened rain.
The U.S. and Japanese governments publicly agree on the
direction of disarmament talks. But some Japanese observers
have criticized recent U.S. decisions to engage Pyongyang
in bilateral discussions and to allow the return of $25
million (¤18.3 million) in disputed North Korean money in
an attempt to move the disarmament process forward.
Abe also planned to raise with Bush the issue of Japanese
citizens abducted by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.
Pyongyang sent home five of the 13 people it admitted
having abducted, but it insisted the rest were dead. Japan
has demanded proof and says more of its citizens may have
been taken.
Until the issue is resolved, Tokyo has taken a hard line
and has refused to provide energy and economic aid to North
Korea or to normalize relations.
On Thursday, Abe spoke with U.S. lawmakers about an issue
that has sparked anger among U.S. conservatives and
liberals alike: a comment the prime minister made in March
that seemed to minimize Japan's role in forcing thousands
of Asian women into sexual slavery during World War II.
Congress is considering a nonbinding resolution that urges
Japan to apologize formally for the wartime «comfort
women» policy.
After a meeting between Abe and congressional leaders,
Rep. Roy Blunt, a Republican, said Abe «expressed regret
that his comments were not as he intended for them to be
and expressed great sympathy with people who had been
placed in that kind of situation.»
People across Asia and the United States were infuriated
at Abe's suggestion that no proof exists that the military
had coerced women into brothels. It seemed to some that Abe
was backtracking on a 1993 government apology.
U.S. officials now say that Abe's recent public statements
in support of the 1993 apology have been convincing.
The two leaders will seek to play down any divisions on
Friday. Instead, they want to convey the health of a
crucial alliance that has gained importance as rival China
accumulates economic and military power.
One of the divisions was being recalled symbolically at
lunch Friday, when the courses included cheeseburgers.
Japan, once the top customer for U.S. beef, still embargoes
the meat because of a perceived danger of mad cow disease.
It did not come up at Thursday's private White House
dinner.
The main course was roast duck.
-- SPA


Clic here to read the story from its source.