Hatoyama to meet U.S., S. Korean leaders in N.Y. next week

TOKYO, Sept. 18 Kyodo -
New Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama will meet U.S. President Barack
Obama and South Korean President Lee Myung Bak next Wednesday in New York
during his first trip abroad as premier, Chief Cabinet Secretary Hirofumi
Hirano said Friday.
Hatoyama, who was sworn in as prime minister on Wednesday, is set to leave for
the United States on Monday to attend the 64th session of the U.N. General
Assembly and meetings on climate change and nuclear disarmament, as well as the
Group of 20 financial summit in Pittsburgh, the top government spokesman told a
press conference.
Prior to the meetings with Obama and Lee, the new Japanese leader and head of
the ruling Democratic Party of Japan will also meet with U.N. Secretary General
Ban Ki Moon on Tuesday.
Arrangements are also under way for bilateral summit talks with China and
Russia, according to Hirano.
''What's important is to build relationships based on trust,'' Hatoyama told
reporters Friday, referring to his planned meeting with Obama. ''Rather than
hold discussions that dig deep from the beginning, I want to make the meeting
one through which we both can feel we can have good human relations.''
The prime minister said he will stress dialogue and cooperation during the
talks, noting that these are the two principles his U.S. counterpart values.
Hatoyama will be accompanied by his wife, Miyuki, who has come under the
spotlight for her characteristically unusual remarks since Hatoyama led his DPJ
to a resounding victory in the Aug. 30 House of Representatives election.
Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada will also leave for the United States on Monday
to attend the international events as well as to hold his first talks with U.S.
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton the same day.
''I would like to stress (the importance of) the problem of global warming and
reconstruction support for Afghanistan and Pakistan, and I also want to convey
(a message) on what action the world should take toward the abolition of
nuclear weapons,'' Okada told a press conference.
Speaking generally about Hatoyama's mission during his upcoming trip, Hirano
said, ''I'm sure it will be a perfect chance to explain (to the world) the
foreign policy of the Hatoyama administration.''
Hirano noted that the DPJ has prioritized the role of the United Nations in
international contributions and advocated the abolition of nuclear weapons and
the combating of global warming.
As part of his preparations for the climate change summit in New York, Hatoyama
will hold a meeting Sunday with ministers concerned such as Foreign Minister
Okada, Economy, Trade and Industry Minister Masayuki Naoshima and Environment
Minister Sakihito Ozawa, according to Hirano.
Hatoyama is set to deliver short statements at the climate change and
nuclear-related meetings and a speech of about 15 minutes at the General Debate
at the U.N. General Assembly.
In the climate change meeting, Hatoyama, who has pledged to cut greenhouse gas
emissions by 25 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels, is expected to announce the
''Hatoyama Initiative'' steps to combat global warming.
''Prime Minister Hatoyama is also eager to contribute (to the G-20 summit) to
make it a success,'' he said.
Ozawa will also leave for New York next week.
Meanwhile, Hatoyama told reporters on Friday that he will hold talks with the
leaders of China and South Korea around Oct. 10, saying, ''There have been
talks planned...between Japan, China and South Korea around October 9 and 10.''
The three countries were making final arrangements to hold the envisaged
tripartite meeting, which will bring together Hatoyama, Chinese Premier Wen
Jiabao and South Korea's Lee, in Beijing on Oct. 10, diplomatic sources said
earlier.
==Kyodo