FRANCE: Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe meets with French Socialist presidential candidate Segolene Royal and her conservative rival Nicolas Sarkozy.

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe held a press conference on Saturday (January 13) at the Concorde Lafayette hotel in Paris at the end of his European tour. Abe told reporters that not just Japan and East Asia but the whole international community were concerned by the North Korea nuclear missile issue and that the European Union (EU) members should implement measures based on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution 1718. "With regards to the North Korea nuclear missiles issues, I explained that it's not just a problem between Japan and North Korea or a problem in East Asia but these are a threat to the non-proliferation regime of weapons of mass destruction. And in fact as such, the entire world needs to address these issues in concert and only in concert we will be able to move and make progress towards a resolution. In this regard we need to apply a pressure that needs to be applied to North Korea and to do so, it is important for the members of the European Union member countries to implement the measures based on U.N. Security Council resolution 1718", he said. As regards China, he also stressed that if the international community decides to lift the arm embargo, it would have an impact on the East Asia security environment. "China has continued to increase substantially their defence spending and there's a lack of transparency in many respect in terms of military equipment. Therefore, I explained to the European leaders that the lifting of arms embargo vis a vis China would have an impact on the East Asian security environment. We have such concerns and therefore Japan is opposed to the lifting of that embargo which is something that I explained to my European colleagues", he told reporters. Abe also urged Russia to be a responsible oil supplier on Saturday after Moscow disrupted EU oil supplies this week. Wrapping up a five-day tour of Europe, Abe said Group of Eight leaders had agreed last year that countries should not use oil for political means. Abe's comments came amid concerns in the West about supplies of oil and gas from Russia following disputes over the transit of energy supplies both this year and last year. European leaders have expressed concern about Russia's use of its energy might as diplomatic weapon. Energy resources are a top concern for Japan, which imports all of its oil needs. Last year, Japan ceded part of its stake in Sakhalin-2, the world's largest liquefied natural gas (LNG), project while it has also lost control over the giant Azadegan oilfield in Iran. Abe, known as a hawkish conservative, entered office last September and was keen to develop ties with European capitals and during his European trip has visited Berlin, London and Brussels. Later on Saturday morning, Abe held talks with Socialist candidate in this year's presidential election and her conservative rival Nicolas Sarkozy. After his European tour, Abe will head for Cebu Island in the Philippines to attend an ASEAN summit and also take part in the East Asia summit.

ITN Source | January 13, 2007

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