Bush Promises US Won't 'Abandon' Japan on North Korea Abductions

By Kurt Achin

Rusutsu, Japan

06 July 2008

Leaders of the Group of Eight nations meet in Japan Monday to discusshow to tackle climate change, soaring fuel prices and the global foodcrisis. Sunday, U.S. President George Bush said the United States will not sacrificeJapan's concerns about abducted citizens in order to achieve progresson North Korea's nuclear weapons. VOA's Kurt Achin reports fromnorthern Japan, where Mr. Bush held a summit with the Japanese primeminister prior to the start of this week's meeting of leaders fromadvanced economies.

Japanese Prime Minister Yasuo Fukudasays he reminded President Bush Sunday that recent progress on endingNorth Korea's nuclear programs leaves plenty of work ahead.

Mr.Fukuda says it is extremely important that North Korea's recent nucleardeclaration be verified, and the future progress on the nuclear issuego hand in hand with progress on the issue of abducted Japanesecitizens.

North Korea has admitted abducting at least 13Japanese national in the 1970s and 80s. Japan believes there were moreabductions, and is holding back aid from the North until it feelsPyongyang has been more forthcoming on the issue.

President Bushthanked Mr. Fukuda for his gift of a book by the mother of MegumiYokota, a young girl who has become a symbol of the abduction issuehere in Japan.

"As the father of littlegirls, I can't imagine what it would be like to have my daughter justdisappear. Mr. Prime Minister, as I told you on the phone when I'vetalked to you in the past, the United States will not abandon you onthis issue," said Mr. Bush.

North Korea's declarationmentions nothing about how many nuclear weapons Pyongyang possesses orwhere they are. It also does not mention suspected uranium enrichmentand nuclear assistance to other countries like Syria. Mr. Bush said heis concerned about the missing elements, and that pressure will remainon Pyongyang.

"North Korea is the mostsanctioned nation in the world, and will remain the most sanctionednation in the world. And the way for them to get off their sanctionsis to honor their commitments in a verifiable fashion," he added.

PrimeMinister Fukuda is hosting President Bush and the leaders of 19 othercountries at the so-called "G-8" gathering of advanced industrialnations here on Japan's Hokkaido island. Mr. Fukuda is expected topush for a firm commitment toward reducing greenhouse gases blamed forglobal warming.

Mr. Bush says any set of climate goals without the world's two fastest emerging economies on board is in trouble.

"I'llbe constructive. I've always advocated that there needs to be a commonunderstanding, and that starts with a goal," he said. "And I'm also realisticenough to tell you that if China and India don't share that sameaspiration, then we're not going to solve the problem."

Soaringfood and energy prices, as well as cooperative aid efforts forsub-saharan Africa, are also expected to dominate this week's G-8summit.