U.S. Department of State
Daily Press Briefing
INDEX
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1999
Briefer: JAMES P. RUBIN
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CHINA (TAIWAN) |
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4 |
US would expect to hear from Taiwan authorities of any interest in participation in theater missile defense. |
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JAPAN |
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4 |
Recently-signed Memorandum of Understanding with US envisages increased cooperation to defend against theater ballistic missile systems. |
U.S. DEPARTMENT OF STATE
DAILY PRESS BRIEFING
DPB #107
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 18, 1999 12:40 P.M.
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
...............
......................QUESTION: A related question. The Taiwanese have made up their minds that they want to take part in the theater missile defense. Can you tell us whether you've received any formal requests from them and how you would handle this?
MR. RUBIN: Well, we have a process by which we've discussed this with them in the past. We would expect to continue to discuss this with them in the future, pursuant to the Taiwan Relations Act and the consultations we have pursuant to that law. So we would continue to have those consultations. I'm not aware of any formal decision that has been transmitted about their willingness or desire to move forward on that. I know that we do consult with them regularly through defense channels and I would expect us to continue to do that. If they have a new position, I would expect them to take that forward in their consultations.
QUESTION: In previous cases, you've kind of said it's premature to talk about participation because the system doesn't really exist and so on. How close are we getting to the time when you do have to take a decision on that?
MR. RUBIN: Well, since I remember answering that just that way a few weeks ago, I don't think that in those few weeks there's been a massive change in the technology. But if the Taiwan authorities have new views as a result of any new decisions they had, the next time we get together pursuant to these consultations that are normal we would expect to hear from them. But that is not really new in the sense that it's the kind of thing that's been going on for some time - discussions.
QUESTION: If in fact this is their desire, how amenable would the US be in helping them with such a system?
MR. RUBIN: Well, what I'd like to do is wait for them to tell us what their desire is, rather than responding to news accounts of it.
QUESTION: And how involved is the US and Japan in developing a system in South Korea?
MR. RUBIN: Well, we have signed an MOU with the Japanese, I believe it was yesterday or the day before, which envisaged increased cooperation by Japan with the United States on a regional capability to defend against theater ballistic missile systems. That's something we've been talking to the Japanese about for some time. I would expect those consultations to continue and improve, pursuant to this memorandum of understanding about how to go forward and conduct those discussions, which is what the MOU did.
.................. ...............(The briefing concluded at 1:30 P.M.)
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[end of document]
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