Preview of the Bush - Abe Meeting

MODERATOR: With us we have Dennis Wilder from the National Security Council. He'll open with a brief statement and then take your questions. Just a reminder, this is on the record, but off camera. Thank you.

MR. WILDER: Good morning. The President and Mrs. Bush are looking forward to the visit of Prime Minister Abe and his wife, Akie, to Washington. Obviously, it's the first visit since he took office, although they met in Hanoi.

The Abes will arrive tomorrow. They'll be staying at Blair House. The Prime Minister will meet with congressional leadership soon after his arrival in Washington. He'll pay respects at Arlington Cemetery and visit wounded troops at the Bethesda Naval Hospital.

Mrs. Bush will take Mrs. Abe on Thursday in the afternoon to visit Mount Vernon and then the Abes will be the guests of President Bush and Mrs. Bush in a very small, informal dinner in the private quarters at the White House.

On Friday morning, the President will host Prime Minister Abe at Camp David for a morning of in-depth discussion, a press briefing and a working lunch at Camp David.

Prime Minister and Mrs. Abe will leave Washington on Friday evening for a visit to the Middle East.

I think I would only make a couple of remarks before taking your questions as to the substance. One thing is just to remind you that with all the talk of the emergence of India and China in the world, we need to remember that Japan is the second largest economy with a gross domestic product that is greater than China and India combined. It is our greatest strategic partner in East Asia and it is increasingly a player in global affairs. They have made the largest monetary contributions outside of the United States to the rebuilding of Iraq and they continue to take a leading role in that area. They are the third largest contributor in Afghanistan and Self-Defense Forces of Japan have been a key component in the refueling operations of Operation Enduring Freedom, providing more than $180 million of oil to American and other coalition navies operating in that area.

So we have a global partnership with Japan, we have a regional partnership with Japan. We are eager to continue to deepen and strengthen that partnership through this visit. And I'll take questions.

QUESTION: Thank you. Kaori Iida with NHK Japanese Public Television. Before everybody asks about the security issues, if I can ask two quick questions on the economy. There seems to be buzz about the two leaders exchanging information for a future U.S.-Japan FTA in the context of a stronger alliance. Is that something the United States would be interested in?

And also, could you talk a little bit about the global warming/energy fund? Is there some kind of cooperation going to be announced at this point? Thank you.

MR. WILDER: These are excellent questions and that's why I've brought Mr. Kurt Tong along, who is the East Asian Economic Officer at the National Security Council, and he'll be happy to address this. (Laughter.)

MR. TONG: Concerning the FTA question, we have begun already a process of exchanging information between the United States and Japanese governments regarding our existing FTAs and EPAs, as they're referred to in Japan, with third countries, and so that process is going forward and we're finding that to be a very useful exercise.

On climate and energy, I think we anticipate that the leaders will have a very good discussion, perhaps even in-depth discussions on the climate issue and on energy cooperation. And I'd also suggest that you seek out the Department of Energy to learn more about some interesting new plans for cooperation between the U.S. and Japan in the area of nuclear energy.

QUESTION: On the U.S.- Japan FTA issue, can you talk about the current administration's position on this (inaudible) Japan?

MR. WILDER: Let me give you a little more on that. First of all, as you know, we are in the middle of negotiations with the Hill on extending the fast track authority and therefore we're not in a position at this moment to really begin any new FTA negotiations. So it's a little premature to talk about what our position is on an FTA with Japan since we are in a moment when we don't actually know whether we will have the authority to negotiate those agreements.

We very much hope, the President very much hopes that he will be able to get that authority renewed. We're in in-depth discussions with the Congress on this question, but we just can't answer that question at this moment because we don't know whether or where we'll be on this question.

QUESTION: Just to follow up economic questions. So in Japan-U.S. talks summit, so will there be -- so that we'll -- the automotive -- Japanese automotive issue be an agenda in the talks summit?

MR. WILDER: I'm not aware of any specific discussion on automotive issues that's planned.

QUESTION: Hi, Nadia Tsao with the Liberty Times. A question about -- there's a report that Japan is trying to purchase F-22. I don't know if that has ever come out during the discussion with the Japanese counterpart.

And a second question is that -- I know some congressional leaders -- there might be passed a resolution regarding to the Japanese comfort women and I don't know if this, you know, history problem has been resolved or, you know, any exchange between President Bush and Abe in the coming visit. Thanks.

MR. WILDER: Thank you. On the question of Japan's defense needs, we have a very robust set of discussions with Japan on defense issues. Obviously, you know, we have a defense transformation going on with our forces in Japan, something we and the Japanese think is very important to making sure our forward presence is effective and as capable as possible. Japanese are helping us to move some forces from Okinawa to Guam. That program is moving forward very smoothly.

In terms of future fighters for Japan, obviously, the Japanese air force has requirements. China is modernizing, at a rapid pace, its air force. The Japanese obviously feel some threat in relation to North Korea and its development of missile and nuclear capabilities. And so we are very positively disposed to talking to the Japanese about future generation fighter aircraft. Whether it's going to be one model or another of aircraft is an open question at this point. It's something for the experts to look at, to figure out which of the many superb aircraft we have suit Japan's needs most. So I think really, that will be a question for the experts.

On comfort women, Prime Minister Abe has, I think, done a lot in the last few weeks to clear up the misunderstandings about where Japan is on the comfort women issue. You've seen him in various interviews and other public statements reiterate that they -- there is no change in the Japanese official position on this from the 1993 statement. This was a horrible situation. President -- or excuse me, Prime Minister Abe has apologized and given his personal apology.

On April 3rd, the President and Prime Minister Abe did discuss the issue in a phone call and the President appreciated the frankness with which Prime Minister Abe dealt with this issue. We think Japan has come a long way since World War II. It's a modern nation, it's a democratic nation. We see the Japanese doing all kinds of things today around the world that are compassionate. They are one of the largest donors of aid to people in various countries and the Japan of today is simply not the Japan of World War II.

QUESTION: Takuya Nishimura with Hokkaido Shimbun newspaper. I would like to ask you more about the security of Northeastern Asia.

MR. WILDER: Please.

QUESTION: Could you tell me, what is the -- what's the President's expectation in terms of the North Korean issue? For example, what is the expectation of six-party talks proceeding? And another one is, what is the President's expectation of the Japanese role toward dealing with China, which has a growing power -- growing military power?

MR. WILDER: First of all, the President has said on many occasions that the North Korean problem needs to be dealt with in diplomacy and multilateral diplomacy. He is very pleased with the six-party process. He believes it's the right way to approach this issue. This is not -- the North Korean problem is not an American-North Korean issue. It is an East Asian issue. And it's an issue that, therefore, many parties have an interest in. I think in that context, the East Asian expectation -- not just an American expectation, but I think the East Asian expectation is that the North will live up to the agreement it signed on February 13th. This is an agreement, as you know, as we've talked about that is action for action. We have taken the actions that the North Koreans asked for in terms of the BDA accounts. We believe that issue to be resolved at this point. And our expectation and I think again the expectation to the Japanese and everyone in East Asia is that the North Koreans now share their intent to move forward with this.

We are very close to the Japanese on this issue. I work closely with my counterparts. Chris Hill works closely with his counterparts to make sure that we are synched up in terms of dealing with the North Korean issues. We were very insistent with the North Koreans that the bilateral working group between Japan and North Korea move forward. We have every expectation it will move forward. We think the North has to answer questions about the abductee issue. So I think we are very closely knitted up on this. I don't see a lot of daylight between our positions.

QUESTION: Dealing with China.

MR. WILDER: Excuse me.

QUESTION: What about dealing with China?

MR. WILDER: Dealing with China? The emergence of China and East Asia offers both challenges and opportunities for both the United States and Japan. Obviously Chinese defense spending is growing at a large rate. Chinese announced a official defense increase of something around 17 percent this year. We think they spend much more on defense than is reflected in those defense figures. For the Japanese that has to be a concern, this rapid increase in Chinese defense spending. On the other hand, there are tremendous opportunities for American and Japanese business in dealing with China in bringing China into the international community in a positive role and I am sure this will be a topic that the two leaders will discuss.

QUESTION: Yoichi Kato with Asahi Shimbun. Just to follow up on North Korean issue. Since we are -- having talked with government officials on the Japan side, it seems to me that the picture looks a little bit different from what you've just described. There's a sense of frustration in terms of dealing with handling of that North Korean issue by State Department, especially the recent case of BDA. And I was wondering whether you think the U.S. has to do something about to -- in order to deal with this kind of a sense of frustration or the kind of gap of a strategy to deal with North Korea? Thank you.

MR. WILDER: You know, you may be talking to different Japanese officials that I'm talking to. But we agree with the Japanese fully that this needs to be dealt with through diplomacy; that we need to keep a united front in dealing with the North Koreans on this issue. I am not aware of any Japanese discomfort with how we have handled the BDA issue and I think that they understand that we are trying to move the process forward. We share the same common goal of a denuclearized Peninsula, of an eventual peace treaty on the Peninsula, on a resolution of the human rights questions in North Korea, be they the abductee question or other questions of human rights. So I would really like to see an official statement that says it's -- the Japanese Government is not happy with where we're going on the six-party talks.

QUESTION: Thank you. Charlie Snyder with the Taipei Times. I was wondering if you could tell us how the situation in the Taiwan Strait might play in the discussions. For instance, do you see any new developments in terms of the possibility of a joint Japan-U.S. reaction to any blow-up in the Straits -- any Chinese military action?

MR. WILDER: Because of the large Chinese military buildup opposite Taiwan and their deployment of a lot of missiles, their deployment of a lot of sophisticated technologies, I think we all have a concern that some in Beijing may at some point be tempted to coercion. I think the goal that we share with the Japanese is to dissuade Beijing from ever being tempted down that path and therefore, we both seek to engage in the Chinese in a way that keeps the Chinese on a path of diplomacy in their relations with Taiwan that keeps the Chinese looking at positive ways to interact with Taiwan and not negative ways. And certainly as we have said, we would like to see the Chinese Government reach out and talk directly to the duly elected leaders in Taiwan. I think the Japanese share that feeling and therefore I'm sure that the topic of Taiwan and its future --it's always part of our discussions with the Japanese because as likeminded democracies who see democratic development on Taiwan as a positive thing and we want to help them keep that democracy vibrant and alive and therefore I think, sure, it will be a topic of discussion.

MODERATOR: Any more questions?

QUESTION: Naichen Katz from Phoenix Television of Hong Kong. Follow up on North Korea issue. When North Korea missed the April 14th deadline, State Department officials indicated that the U.S. has only days of patience. So when you calculate it, it's about the time when Prime Minister Abe visit. And earlier we -- I mean, from the reports it seems Japan was ready to put more pressure on North Korea to ask them to abide by the February 13 agreement. So is it a time when the two leaders meet to review how far the February 13 agreement has gone? And is it -- the U.S. and Japan was ready -- I mean, on the same page to get North Korea more time to close their Yongbyon nuclear facilities? Thank you.

MR. WILDER: Well, as I think you know, that in our discussions with the Chinese as the host of the six-party talks, the conveners of the six-party talks, they have asked us to show a little bit of patience on this issue and a little bit of patience with the North Koreans as they try and move their money out of Banco Delta Asia and move forward. We have taken the Chinese advice and we are showing perhaps unusual American patience with this situation.

As has been reported today, we continue to have a dialogue with the North Koreans. My director, Victor Cha, was in New York yesterday having a discussion with the North Koreans on this issue, so we are engaging the North Koreans. We're not giving up on this agreement. This agreement is a great agreement. It is the right agreement. We want to see it implemented. And if it takes a little patience to get this agreement done, we are prepared to be a little bit patient. But patience isn't endless.

QUESTION: Nadia Tsao, Liberty Times, again. I have a follow-up question on Taiwan. Recently Taiwan just announced in public they have developed a missile which could attack the China provinces. And we heard in Washington some people urged Taiwan to increase their defense, you know, expanding to increase their capability to deter China. But on the other hand, some people criticize that Taiwan should not have the offensive capability. I don't know if you have any comment on this new development and what's the U.S. position on this?

MR. WILDER: Well, you are absolutely correct that the United States thinks that the Taiwan legislature should move ahead with the increases on their defense budget. We think this is important because we think that given the situation they face across the Strait that people of Taiwan need to make a serious and sustained commitment to their defense needs and, therefore, we would hope that there would be across party lines in Taiwan a decision to move forward on increases in defense spending that will allow them to improve capabilities.

I think in your question you made an important distinction that I would make as well. We think that developing defensive capabilities is the right thing to do. We think that offensive capabilities on either side of the Strait are destabilizing and, therefore, not in the interest of peace and security. So when you ask me whether I am for offensive missiles, I'm not for offensive missiles on the Chinese side of the Strait and I'm not for offensive missiles on the Taiwan side of the Strait. But appropriate defense capabilities are certainly the right of the people of Taiwan.

QUESTION: Jim Berger from Washington Trade Daily. Can you talk a little bit about what the two leaders may discuss on economic issues, specifically with the value of the currency, yuan and yen?

MR. WILDER: Mr. Tong will be happy to do that. (Laughter.)

MR. TONG: Well, it's difficult to speculate because the meeting hasn't happened. But I think that there's a lot of interest in the United States in learning more about the direction of economic reform in Japan, what some of the priorities for economic reform in the coming years will be and just get an increased flavor of the direction that will take place in Japan.

MR. WILDER: I would point you to a speech that Deputy Secretary Kimmitt gave last week, which I think was an excellent one on some of the challenges that the Japanese economy faces. We'd associate ourselves completely with his remarks in that speech. And since, you know, we have only limited time, I don't want to go through the speech but I'm sure you're aware of the issues he raised.

MODERATOR: Go ahead.

QUESTION: Arimoto, Sankei Shimbun. I have a question about the relationship between Japan and China. Recently, Chinese Premier visited Japan. Could you tell me how do you see the recent development between Japan and China?

MR. WILDER: Right, a very good question. First of all, I've seen some speculation in some newspapers that suggested that somehow it wasn't appropriate for Prime Minister Abe to go to China before he came to the United States. I think it demonstrates the maturity of the U.S.-Japan relationship that the Prime Minister does not have to rush to Washington as soon as he is elected. We have plenty of good telecommunications capabilities. We have a strong relationship. This was not necessary. And we very much supported the decision of Prime Minister Abe to make his first visit abroad to his neighbors. We thought that was important. There was a need for fence-mending clearly in those relationships and, therefore, this was a very appropriate thing for Prime Minister Abe to do.

I think that yielded results. I think the visit of Premier Wen to Japan has also yielded results, some very important developments such as the renewal of military-to-military exchanges between China and Japan; that can only help to increase understanding between the two nations. And so, you know, we think it's good for all of us if Japan and China can sort through some of the issues that have kept them a bit divided.

QUESTION: In the time of the former Prime Minister Koizumi, the two leaders -- the relationship of the two leaders was said to be dependent on personal friendship, like very close relationship. But do you think that President Bush is going to build up the same kind of relationship or is it fair to say it's going to be some kind of business-like relationship?

MR. WILDER: Well, I'm not sure any two friendships are the same, so I think that it would be a surprise if they had exactly the same kind of relationship. These two men are different. I mean, Prime Minister Abe and Prime Minister Koizumi are different personalities and so there will be differences in the relationship.

I can say that when they met in Hanoi there was a lot of common understanding, common meeting of the minds. You know, Prime Minister Abe, in an interesting gesture, gave the President a picture of his grandfather and the President's grandfather playing golf together with President Eisenhower here in Washington, which does show that there is a family connection that goes back quite a ways and -- you know, they have a lot in common. Also, I would say that one of the big differences in this relationship is there is a counterpart to Mrs. Bush in this relationship. And Mrs. Bush has found Mrs. Abe delightful and an energetic, young, modern Japanese woman who she very much enjoyed getting to know in Hanoi and is looking forward to spending some time with here in Washington.

So I think the personal elements are still there, but the more important thing, perhaps, in overall foreign policy is the U.S.-Japan relationship transcends the personalities. This is a relationship of common values, common view of the world, the need to promote democracy, the need to support those who are fighting for their freedoms. We are a like-minded people with a tremendous amount in common and the global alliance between us is tremendously important to this country. And one of the things we hope is we can highlight that in each visit to the American people and remind them of the importance of Japan in our both regional and global policies.

MODERATOR: Thank you very much.

MR. WILDER: Thank you.