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| International |
| U.N. must seize the day in postwar Iraq: Shiokawa |
| 2003-04-11 |
| The United Nations must act boldly and swiftly create a framework and environment to help rebuild war-ravaged Iraq, Finance Minister Masajuro Shiokawa said Friday. Shiokawa told a regular news conference that he plans to convey Japan's readiness to cooperate in humanitarian aid and reconstruction for Iraq at the upcoming meeting of the Group of Seven industrialized nations. Asked about Shiokawa's response if U.S. Treasury Secretary John Snow, during their bilateral talks, requests any financial support for Iraq's reconstruction, Shiokawa said Japan will cooperate with the U.N. "To do that, the U.N. has to take a strong initiative," he said. Shiokawa and Snow are scheduled to meet Friday evening on the sidelines of the two-day G-7 meeting that starts Friday in Washington. As for humanitarian aid, Japan unveiled a plan Wednesday to offer up to $100 million in financial support for international organizations working to rebuild Iraq. The government immediately allocated $25 million worth of assistance to the World Food Program, the International Committee of the Red Cross and UNICEF. With the $5 million emergency aid package for three international organizations unveiled last month, Japan's total aid now comes to $30 million. Shiokawa said the government may also reduce Iraq's debt burden, for instance, by rescheduling debts owed to Japan. In Washington, Snow said he will discuss the framework of postwar reconstruction in Iraq at the G-7 meeting as well as in bilateral talks with Shiokawa. Snow expressed hope for an active Japanese role in reconstruction assistance. "Japan has always been a leader in being engaged in things like this, and I expect Mr. Shiokawa and I to have good discussions," he said. Snow said discussions on Iraqi reconstruction will include debt relief for the country. He also urged Japan and Europe to "act decisively" to implement strong policies to boost their economic growth and serve as engines for the global economy. Removing "rigidity" from the Japanese economy by prompting the disposal of bad loans at banks and shifting assets from unprofitable areas to growth industries is an "essential precondition" for the nation's recovery, Snow said. |
| Posted by:Tadderly |