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| Rice to meet Japan PM on N Korea | Rice to meet Japan PM on N Korea |
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| US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on her tour rallying support for UN sanctions on North Korea. | US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice is to meet Japanese PM Shinzo Abe on her tour rallying support for UN sanctions on North Korea. |
| In Tokyo, the tour's first leg, she said the US would back its allies with its full military capability against any threat from Pyongyang. | In Tokyo, the tour's first leg, she said the US would back its allies with its full military capability against any threat from Pyongyang. |
| The trip follows a UN Security Council vote backing sanctions in response to North Korea's nuclear test. | The trip follows a UN Security Council vote backing sanctions in response to North Korea's nuclear test. |
| She and Japan's Foreign Minister, Taro Aso, will later fly on to Seoul. | She and Japan's Foreign Minister, Taro Aso, will later fly on to Seoul. |
| On Wednesday, US President George W Bush warned North Korea in a television interview it would face "grave consequences" if it tried to transfer nuclear weapons. | |
| Defence commitments | |
| Ms Rice's hastily arranged visits to Japan, South Korea, China and Russia are aimed at rallying support to implement sanctions fully in line with the UN resolution passed last week. | Ms Rice's hastily arranged visits to Japan, South Korea, China and Russia are aimed at rallying support to implement sanctions fully in line with the UN resolution passed last week. |
| N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Q&A: Nuclear crisis N Korea's mercurial leader | N KOREA NUCLEAR PROGRAMME Believed to have 'handful' of nuclear weaponsBut not thought to have any small enough to put in a missileCould try dropping from plane, though world watching closely Q&A: Nuclear crisis N Korea's mercurial leader |
| South Korea, and to a greater extent China, are thought to have concerns over some parts of the new UN sanctions. | South Korea, and to a greater extent China, are thought to have concerns over some parts of the new UN sanctions. |
| Ms Rice said she and Mr Aso had pledged to work together for the swift and effective implementation of all the measures detailed in UN resolution 1718. | Ms Rice said she and Mr Aso had pledged to work together for the swift and effective implementation of all the measures detailed in UN resolution 1718. |
| Amid concern in Washington that the crisis could encourage other Asian nations to develop their own nuclear weapons programmes, she stressed that the US was ready to act on its defence commitments to Japan. | Amid concern in Washington that the crisis could encourage other Asian nations to develop their own nuclear weapons programmes, she stressed that the US was ready to act on its defence commitments to Japan. |
| "The United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range - and I underscore the full range - of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan," she said. | "The United States has the will and the capability to meet the full range - and I underscore the full range - of its deterrent and security commitments to Japan," she said. |
| Mr Aso, who had earlier called for a debate on whether Japan should obtain nuclear weapons for itself, said the government was "absolutely not considering a need to be armed by nuclear weapons". | Mr Aso, who had earlier called for a debate on whether Japan should obtain nuclear weapons for itself, said the government was "absolutely not considering a need to be armed by nuclear weapons". |
| NEW UN SANCTIONS Bans sale to, or export from, N Korea of military hardwareBans sale or export of nuclear and missile related itemsBans sale of luxury goodsFreezes finances and bans travel of anyone involved in nuclear, missile programmesAllows inspection of cargo to and from N KoreaStresses new resolution needed for further action Who stands where "We do not need to acquire nuclear arms with an assurance by US Secretary of State Rice that the bilateral alliance would work without fault," he said. | NEW UN SANCTIONS Bans sale to, or export from, N Korea of military hardwareBans sale or export of nuclear and missile related itemsBans sale of luxury goodsFreezes finances and bans travel of anyone involved in nuclear, missile programmesAllows inspection of cargo to and from N KoreaStresses new resolution needed for further action Who stands where "We do not need to acquire nuclear arms with an assurance by US Secretary of State Rice that the bilateral alliance would work without fault," he said. |
| The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says that there is strong support in Japan for implementing the sanctions. | The BBC's Chris Hogg in Tokyo says that there is strong support in Japan for implementing the sanctions. |
| Japan is seeking ways within the limits of the country's pacifist constitution to help the US operate a stop-and-search operation in the waters surrounding North Korea to try to prevent illegal cargo getting through. | Japan is seeking ways within the limits of the country's pacifist constitution to help the US operate a stop-and-search operation in the waters surrounding North Korea to try to prevent illegal cargo getting through. |
| But our correspondent says Ms Rice will face stronger opposition in Seoul and Beijing, which fear such operations could spark clashes at sea. | But our correspondent says Ms Rice will face stronger opposition in Seoul and Beijing, which fear such operations could spark clashes at sea. |
| Test fears | Test fears |
| The tour comes amid concerns that the North might conduct another nuclear test. | The tour comes amid concerns that the North might conduct another nuclear test. |
| We want peace but do not fear war N Korea's foreign ministry Full text of statement Send us your comments | |
| Renewed activity has been reported at last week's test site, and both South Korea and Japan say they have intelligence of possible preparation for a second test. | |
| In the past, North Korea is thought to have staged activity at nuclear and missile sites purely to attract attention and step up diplomatic pressure, the BBC's Charles Scanlon in Seoul says. | In the past, North Korea is thought to have staged activity at nuclear and missile sites purely to attract attention and step up diplomatic pressure, the BBC's Charles Scanlon in Seoul says. |
| On Tuesday, North Korean state media dubbed the new UN sanctions against it a "declaration of war". | On Tuesday, North Korean state media dubbed the new UN sanctions against it a "declaration of war". |
| In his television interview, President Bush said the US would use whatever means necessary to prevent the North transferring nuclear weapons to third parties such as Iran or al-Qaeda. | |
| "We would stop the transfer, and we would deal with the ships... or the airplane that was... taking the material," Mr Bush told ABC News. |