#4776: Japan's aid (fwd)

[Robert Corbett <bcorbett@netcom.com>]

From: mihoko tsunetomi <miho0087@tctv.ne.jp>

     Regarding the reapeated  foreign media reports that
Japan has stopped aid to Haiti,  I made an inquiry to
our Foreign Ministry.
    Their answer was, "there is no such fact that Japan has 
frozen its aid to Haiti."  and, "probably our Charge d'Affair's 
words must be mistaken."   The following is a part of 
Japanese Government Press Release dated july 14.

>2.  Japan has been paying particular attention to Haiti's
democratization, and, from this viewpoint, strongly hopes
that the Government of Haiti fully recognizes the importance of
free and fair elections based on its own laws and takes 
necessary steps on the above issue as soon as possible."<

     My personal view agrees to this.  Our foreign policy can
never go beyond the United States, nor different from it.
Particularly with Haiti where we have no historical, economic
conflicts, it is hard to think Japan can take such an initiative
to stop aid while others are still threatening.  This is another
example that it is dangerous to believe everything written on
the media.

                                            Mihoko

Mihoko Tsunetomi
miho0087@tctv.ne.jp