ACCESSION NUMBER:336945
FILE ID:POL204
DATE:04/05/94
TITLE:DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, APRIL 5 (04/05/94)
TEXT:*94040504.POL
DEFENSE DEPARTMENT REPORT, TUESDAY, APRIL 5
(Korean peninsula, Pacific military exercise, Bosnia, U.S.-Kuwaiti exercise)
(610)
NEWS BRIEFING -- Spokesman Kathleen deLaski discussed the following topics:
U.S. POLICY ON NORTH KOREA HAS BEEN CONSISTENT
DeLaski said the United States is pursuing diplomacy "as far as it will go"
with respect to North Korea and its nuclear weapons program.
Defense Secretary Perry is trying to be "very careful" during this period of
diplomacy and is not trying to match the rhetoric coming out of North Korea
"word for word," deLaski said.
U.S. policy regarding North Korea's nuclear program has been "remarkably
consistent," calling for Pyongyang to freeze its program "wherever it is"
and then to "roll it back," the spokesman said.
Asked what the United States might do if diplomatic efforts to resolve the
North Korean crisis fail, she said that Perry does not want to rule
"anything out."
DeLaski also said U.S. officials believe the joint U.S.-South Korean "Team
Spirit" military exercise will take place, although discussions continue
with the South Koreans about timing and other logistics for the maneuvers.
"We don't want to do anything that would drive a wedge between the U.S. and
South Korea," the spokesman said, so planning will proceed "in concert with
their timetable and...needs."
The status of Team Spirit will be a key topic for discussion during Perry's
scheduled trip to Seoul this month, she said.
DeLaski said assessments of North Korea's nuclear capabilities vary, with
estimates ranging between two nuclear devices and none at all.
She also said the first U.S. transport ship with Patriot anti-missile
systems destined for South Korea left its West coast port on April 4. A
second ship will follow "shortly," the spokesman said, but the U.S. troops
needed for the deployment will fly to South Korea at a later date.
The United States is in the process of identifying some additional military
materiel and supplies for use in South Korea, but nothing has been deployed
yet, she added.
U.S. FORCES IN PACIFIC GEAR UP FOR COMPUTER SIMULATION
The annual command post exercise "Tempo Brave" 94-1 -- a computer simulation
involving U.S. forces from Hawaii, Guam, Japan and the USS Blue Ridge --
will take place from April 7 to 21, deLaski said.
No actual combat units are being deployed as part of the exercise, which is
designed to train military staffs "in interactive crisis action planning
and execution related to a realistic crisis scenario in the Pacific,"
according to a Pentagon statement.
1.S. POLICY ON BOSNIA DISCUSSED
The United States will not be a combatant in the Bosnian conflict to halt
aggressive actions by Serbian forces, deLaski said.
However if the conditions change in Gorazde or any other city, the spokesman
explained, so that "a Sarajevo-type exclusion zone would be effective, then
the U.S. would certainly support such a move within the U.N. and the NATO
process."
DeLaski also said Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman John Shalikashvili
discussed the subject of "streamlining the process" for NATO and United
Nations command and control in Bosnia during his recent trip to the
Balkans.
OTHER DEVELOPMENTS:
U.S.-KUWAITI MARITIME EXERCISE UNDERWAY
"Native Fury 94," a U.S.-Kuwaiti maritime prepositioning exercise in the
northern Persian Gulf and Kuwait, commenced April 4 and will continue
through April 25..
The annual military exercise is being conducted under the framework of the
Defense Cooperation Agreement between the two countries. Elements of the
exercise include off-loading a maritime prepositioning ship, transporting
equipment to a field training area, and navigation and aerial strike
drills.
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