AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Thank you for coming out tonight to welcome me to Tokyo, for my third visit since taking on this job last December. I look forward very much to several days of discussions with Japanese officials. In particular I look forward to spending time with my good friend and colleague Director General Sugiyama, and I think and hope that in the course of tomorrow I may have a chance to see some of you in the various ministries. So with that, it’s late, I don’t want to keep you, but again thank you for coming out tonight. Thanks so much, appreciate that. If you have some questions, I’m happy to try answering them.
QUESTION: It was reported that North Korea is now building a new missile launch pad in Musudan-ri, it is said that it can launch a bigger ballistic missile. My question is, does the U.S. government have the information and what is your concern?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: I have seen the information in the press, so we of course will study it and try to learn more information about it. Obviously for us, we thought it was a miscalculation by North Korea to launch a rocket back in April. Of course the world community was united in sending a signal to Pyongyang that they should not do so because it was a violation of Security Council resolutions. But I don’t have any particular comment on these press reports of this new facility, so thank you.
QUESTION: Ambassador, how would you analyze the DPRK’s purpose (in saying) that it didn’t have any plans to have a nuclear test from the beginning?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Are you referring to the statement that they made –
QUESTION: Yes, last night.
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: Yes, well I am quite frankly not certain what they meant by that. I think that the important thing is not what they intended to do, but what they have done, and what they will do. What we hope is that North Korea makes the right decisions and understands that, rather than seeking to defy the will of the international community and to act in ways that contradict Security Council resolutions and North Korea’s own undertakings, as expressed in the September 2005 Joint Statement and other documents. We think it’s very important that they begin to make different choices, choices that benefit their people, choices that permit them to rejoin the international community, instead of making decisions that are in defiance of their obligations as a member of the international community. Thank you. Any other questions?
QUESTION: Have you been to Pyongyang in April?
AMBASSADOR DAVIES: I don’t have any comment on any of these reports that I have been reading, I’m sorry I don’t have any comment on that. In any event, I have a chance I hope tomorrow on more than one occasion to meet with some of you again and perhaps will be able to answer other questions that you have at that time. So thank you very much for coming out tonight, I’m so happy to be in Tokyo. This is a wonderful time of year to be here and I look forward very much to conversations with Japanese officials. Thank you so much, good night.
