*EPF202 07/03/01
Defense Department Report, July 3: Africa, China, Okinawa
(China military contacts, Okinawa rape suspect, Africa ties) (930)

U.S. RELATIONSHIP WITH CHINA REMAINS IMPORTANT

Commenting on the U.S.-China relationship and broadly all military-to-military exchanges, the spokesman said that all proposed military activity is scrutinized to see if it meets the criteria of whether there is a benefit to the United States and if it is of reciprocal value. That's "the single most important litmus test to be applied to military-to-military exchanges," he said.

Responding to a question on whether the episode of the U.S. surveillance EP-3 aircraft and its detainment in China would harm U.S.-China relations, Quigley said "The incident was a difficult one for both nations to work through."

The reality, he added, is that "China will remain a very powerful force in the world," as will the United States, and there will be areas on which the two nations agree and those where they don't. "We have to work through those, as time passes, on an individual and a multilateral basis."

NO DECISION REACHED ON RAPE SUSPECT IN OKINAWA

The spokesman said that no decision has yet been reached on whether the United States would surrender custody of the U.S. airman suspected of raping a woman in Okinawa, so that he may stand trial before a Japanese court.

The U.S. military "is working closely with Japanese governmental and legal authorities, but no final decisions have yet been made," Admiral Quigley said. "He is in custody at Kadena Air Base on Okinawa." His name has not been released as no charges have yet been filed.

Under the bilateral Status of Forces Agreement (SOFA) regarding such incidents, taken into consideration are the concerns of the U.S. government and the U.S. military in conjunction with local laws, customs and cultural differences between the United States and the country concerned, he said.

"We have had one (a SOFA) with Japan for many years. It is different from every other nation's, and it is very specific in its description of who has custody, under what circumstances, how would custody be handed over from one party to another."

Asked whether, in the early stages of detainment, Japanese law forbids a person in custody to have a translator or to talk to a defense attorney, the spokesman said "It is my understanding that that is typically true."

The allegation is that the crime took place outside of military property. Asked whether, if a suspect is finally indicted by a foreign country, the United States automatically turns him over to local authorities, the spokesman said "It is a very deliberate decision made by the government of the United States to turn over a citizen of the United States to a foreign, in this case Japanese, legal authority. That is the ongoing review that is going on right now."

To make the decision, he said, one would look carefully to the terms of the SOFA, enter into continued discussions with the host government as to how one might ascertain the continued conditions under which the individual would be held, and details of that sort. There are many issues to be weighed carefully, he said.

"The U.S. presence in Okinawa is an issue that needs constant attention on the part of our senior leadership there on the ground, the military leadership as well as political representation of the United States government. The security relationship that we have with Japan is very important to us. It is central to the security arrangements that we have in that part of Asia," Quigley said.

"By the same token," he said, "We have a great deal of concern for the individual service members' rights and we care about the men and women who wear the uniform of the United States. So that is why such great care goes into the crafting of the Status of Forces Agreements with a variety of nations around the world."

U.S.-AFRICA PROGRAMS HELP STABILITY IN REGION

Asked whether the Bush administration plans to terminate military-to-military exchanges and other military programs in sub-Saharan Africa, Pentagon spokesman Admiral Craig Quigley said that while the U.S. position could change "over time," at present "It is our view that we are providing equipment and training to nations who are willingly contributing to a peacekeeping process in Africa."

"These are African nations who are willingly asking for our help to train soldiers and (provide) some uniforms and some items of equipment to help keep the peace on their continent," the spokesman said. "And we think if we can make a contribution in that regard, it's a good thing."

He added "You always assess how you're doing. If the process somehow is seen to be counterproductive or less productive than we would hope, certainly we reserve the judgment to make changes. But at this point, we vet the individuals who receive the training, (and) there is a great deal of emphasis not only on professional military skills but also on democratic, civilian control of the military, humanitarian sorts of efforts, professionalism within the battalions that are being trained to perform the duties there in Africa."

The "overarching goal," he said, "disregarding the bumps along the road, is that the battalions are more qualified and more professional and better able to carry out the peacekeeping duties that their nation signed them up to do when we're done than when we started. And by any yardstick, that's a plus."

(The Washington File is a product of the Office of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)
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