Japan plays down impact of Clinton's absence at G-8 ministers' meeting+

TOKYO, June 23 Kyodo -
A Japanese Foreign Ministry official played down on Tuesday the impact of U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton's absence at the upcoming Group of Eight
foreign ministerial meeting in Italy, saying the meeting is still ''very
important.''

''We've been preparing for this coming G-8 meeting for a long time in close
consultation with colleagues,'' the official said on condition of anonymity.
''Of course each colleague has consulted with their ministers, so I think it
(the absence) will not have a serious impact on the G-8 meeting.''
While noting that Japan had hoped for Clinton's participation, the official
stressed that the G-8 meeting itself ''is still very important and precious''
even if Clinton cannot attend because of an injury to her arm as her deputy
said Monday.
Given that arrangements had been proceeding for bilateral talks between
Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone and Clinton on the sidelines of the
meeting, Japan is now considering having Nakasone meet William Burns,
undersecretary of state for political affairs who will attend the G-8 meeting
instead, Foreign Ministry Press Secretary Kazuo Kodama said.
''It's extremely disappointing (that Clinton cannot participate),'' Kodama told
a press conference in the afternoon.
Nakasone said earlier he ''especially'' hoped to hold bilateral talks with
Clinton.
The United States will be represented at the G-8 meeting in Trieste by Burns,
Richard Holbrooke, special U.S. envoy for Pakistan and Afghanistan, and George
Mitchell, special U.S. envoy for the Middle East, according to Deputy Secretary
of State Jim Steinberg.
Clinton successfully underwent surgery Friday to repair a broken right elbow
after falling in the State Department basement Wednesday as she headed to her
car for a meeting at the White House.
==Kyodo
2009-06-23 22:21:34