U.S., Japan Officials Discuss Trade, Other Issues
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Secretary of State Madeleine Albright and Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono met on Sunday for talks on bilateral relations, regional issues in Asia and the upcoming global trade talks.
State Department spokesman James Foley described the discussions during the two-hour private meeting as ``extensive'' and ``very substantive.''
He said the talks covered the ``excellent bilateral relations'' between the two countries, regional issues involving such nations as China, Indonesia and Myanmar, and the Group of Eight (G8) summit that Japan will host on Okinawa in July.
During his three-day visit, Kono is also due to meet President Clinton and U.S. Trade Representative Charlene Barshefsky.
Japanese officials have said Kono's trip was part of an effort by the two allies to coordinate views ahead the G8 summit, which brings together the United States, Japan, France, Germany, Britain, Canada, Italy and Russia.
Foley declined to discuss the substance of the talks, but said Albright and Kono held a 30-minute session alone and then met as part of a larger group that included their aides at a breakfast meeting.
Two Burma soldiers set free
Two of six Burmese soldiers caught sneaking into
Thailand last month were freed by the authorities yesterday. Pvt Pho Kyi, 30, and Pvt Myint Oo, 14, of Burma's 221st rapid deployment unit
were handed over to Maj Saw Win, the Burmese chairman of the local Thai-Burmese
border committee. The handover took place at Mae Sai district police station in Chiang Rai. The two were caught along with four other Burmese soldiers at Nam Piang Din
pass in Pa Mapha district, Mae Hong Son on Jan 14. The others were being detained at the 7th Regiment in Mae Sariang district
pending investigation into their alleged intrusion. They claimed they were hungry and looking for food in the jungle this side of
the border. A military source said the remaining four Burmese soldiers would be freed
after the investigation is completed.
Burmese troops fired shots across the border at
an army helicopter flying over Mae Hong Son's Muang district yesterday. No casualties were reported. A source in the 7th Infantry Regiment said the army helicopter was passing
over Na Plaek village in tambon Mokchampae on a routine patrol. At least 10 rounds were fired, originating from Shan State, in Burma,
opposite Rak Thai village in Mae Hong Son. The source said the attack was carried out by Burmese soldiers of the 99th
battalion.
More than 1,000 Karen civilians seeking refuge in
Suan Phung district of Ratchaburi will be evacuated to a safer site in
Kanchanaburi today. The refugees, mostly children, women and elderly people,
fled to Thai soil following heavy shelling by Burmese troops on the God's Army
jungle base at Kamaplaw. The Karen civilians were temporarily housed at a
monastery centre at Ban Boh Wee in Tambon Tanaowsri, Suan Phung district where
they were kept under the surveillance of police from the 137th Border Patrol
Police Unit and volunteers. A military source said the refugees will be evacuated to a new holding centre
in Ban Tonyang, in Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi, adding the evacuation
will be carried out early today. Burma's drastic crackdown on armed ethnic minority groups along its border
opposite Sun Phung district in recent weeks has forced hundreds of civilians to
flee to Thai soil. The number of refugees escaping the fighting has increased after Burmese
soldiers heavily shelled the God's Army's jungle base. The attack was launched
after a group of ten rebels who seized Ratchaburi general hospital were killed
by Thai commandos. Meanwhile, Col Samphan Yanpakul, commander of the 29th special task force
unit, said the border situation in Suan Phung has now returned to normal after
Burmese troops overran the God's Army base at Kamaplaw. He maintained the evacuation of more than 1,000 Karen refugees was needed for
safety reasons. Sources said about 100 refugees have been suffering from malaria and other
diseases. Some of them were admitted to Suan Phung hospital for treatment. Meanwhile, Public Health Minister Korn Dabbaransi said the influx of refugees
had posed a heavy burden on Suan Phung hospital, near the border. BBC-Sunday, 20 February, 2000, 18:05 GMT
The Japanese foreign minister, Yohei Kono, has had talks in Washington with
his American counterpart, Madeleine Albright. Junta troops fire on army
helicopter
A border Patrol Police officer watches a Karen refugee
suffering from elephantiasis. The woman is among 1,000 Karen refugees who
have sough sanctuary at a monastery in Suan Phung district of Ratchaburi.
- Naovarat Suksamran
Japanese FM in
Washington talks
A State Department
spokesman said the discussions during the private two-hour meeting had been
extensive and very substantive.
He said the talks had covered relations
between the two countries, the Group of Eight summit in Japan in July, and Asian
issues involving countries such as China, Indonesia and Burma.
During
his visit, Mr Kono is also due to meet President Clinton and the American trade
representative, Charlene Barshefsky.
From the newsroom of the BBC
World Service