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Clinton Warns North Korea on Missile

By VOA News
17 February 2009

U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton says North Korea should not carry out plans to test-fire a long-range missile.

The top U.S. diplomat made the comments Tuesday in Tokyo during a joint news conference with her Japanese counterpart, Hirofumi Nakasone. She told reporters such a move by Pyongyang would be "very unhelpful."

North Korea issued a statement Monday saying it will go ahead with a test launch of its Taepodong Two missile as part of a "space development" program.

Clinton says if Pyongyang ends its nuclear weapons program, and abides by its previous agreements, the U.S. would sign a peace treaty and seek to normalize relations.

Clinton arrived in Tokyo Monday on the first stop of her first overseas trip since taking office. She described the U.S.-Japanese alliance as a "cornerstone" of Washington's global diplomacy.

Also on Clinton's agenda in Japan are discussions on the global economy, climate change and the situation in Afghanistan and Pakistan.

Clinton also is due to meet the relatives of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. Pyongyang has admitted to abducting Japanese people and bringing them to North Korea to train its spies.

Japan refuses to send humanitarian aid to North Korea as part of a North Korean disarmament deal until Pyongyang accounts for the fate of all Japanese abductees.

Secretary Clinton also signed an agreement with Japan on relocating 8,000 U.S. troops from the southern Japanese island of Okinawa to the U.S. Pacific island of Guam.

Japanese media say Clinton is expected to arrange a meeting in March between U.S. President Barack Obama and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso. Mr. Aso's public approval rating has dropped sharply ahead of national elections due later this year.

Japan has welcomed Clinton's visit as a sign that Washington will maintain strong ties with Tokyo even as the U.S. seeks a closer partnership with China.

Clinton has stops scheduled in Indonesia, South Korea and China. She says the Obama administration wants to show that its relations with Asia-Pacific nations are "indispensable" to addressing global challenges.

In Indonesia, Clinton is expected to urge the 10-member Association of Southeast Asian Nations to work for improved human rights in Burma.

Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.