Obama in Japan: US' Afghan commitment not "open-ended" (Roundup)

Nov 13, 2009, 13:04 GMT

   Tokyo - Stability in the troubled nation of Afghanistan was among the international topics discussed by US President Barack Obama in Tokyo as part of his eight-day Asia tour on Friday.

Speaking after meeting with Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama, Obama said the United States' engagement in Afghanistan was not 'open-ended' and that a decision over a US troop build up in the central Asian nation would be made soon.

The goal of international forces in Afghanistan, he said, would remain preparing Afghans to take over their own security themselves.

The US president also praised Japan's commitment to the rebuilding of Afghanistan. In the coming five years, Japan is to provide 5 billion dollars to Afghanistan and 1 billion of financial aid to Pakistan.

Obama and Hatoyama in a joint declaration also warned North Korea and Iran against pursuing nuclear weapons programmes, stating that the nuclear efforts of both countries were a threat to international stability and peace.

   The US and Japan demanded that Tehran and Pyongyang stick to their international obligations regarding their nuclear programmes.

   North Korea's latest rocket and atomic tests show that it is still a threat to peace and stability in North-East Asia and to the international community, the declaration said.

   It added that the latest revelations about new nuclear installations in Iran reinforced the international community's concerns about the nature of the Iranian atomic programme.

   Japan and the US said they would not allow the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty to be further eroded.

   Washington and Tokyo emphasized that they would seek solutions to the problems with North Korea and Iran through dialogue and negotiations.

   Obama said after his talks with the Japanese premier that the United States was a 'Pacific nation' that placed great store on improving political and economic ties with its partners in eastern Asia.

   The alliance with Japan played a central role in this policy, he said. The US and Japan were equal partners linked by common interests and values, he added, saying that it was important that the two nations as the world's greatest economic powers cooperate intensively.

The US and Japanese leaders also stressed their common commitment to climate protection, and targeted a reduction of their greenhouse gas emissions by 80 per cent by mid-century in order to see a 50-per- cent reduction worldwide.

On Saturday, Obama is to deliver a speech to the Japanese people and then meet with Japanese Emperor Akihito.

Afterwards, the US president is to fly to the Asian Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit in Singapore. China and South Korea would be next on Obama's tour.