今度の日曜から１週間、コーエン国防長官は、日本を含むアジア、ウクライ
ナとグルジアを訪問するので、それに関してペンタゴンで記者会見がありまし
た（２１日）。その中で、沖縄基地問題とサミットについてのやり取りがあり
ます。
匿名の報道官は、下のように述べています。
彼（なぜ匿名なのかよく分かりませんが）は、沖縄サミットを、我々がどん
なに基地問題で努力しているかを示すan absolutely fantastic opportunity
だと述べて、沖縄県と日本政府にプレッシャーをかけています（と言うより裏
で話が進んでいるということなのかも）。彼は、「（基地問題の）解決を押し
付けることは出来ない」と言っていますが、よく読むと結局日本側を追い詰め
ているということです。
今回のコーエン−野中会談（「真空」は飾りなので関係ありません）で、密
約が交わされて、今国会終了後にあっと驚く決定が公表されるかもしれません。
このブリーファー（ブリーフをはいているということでなく、Briefingを行
う人ということらしい）も、近く沖縄を訪問すると言っていますが（だから匿
名にするのか）、裏では活発な「交流」が行われていることが伺えます。
なお、旧ガイドラインの時代の日米軍事協力のアーキテクトで、今なお影響
力を持つ（ペンタゴンの中曽根と考えていい）アーミテッジ元国防次官補が共
同通信とのインタビューで、「普天間代替基地はやはり名護で決まり」と答え
ているのはご存じと思います。記事を少しだけ引用すると。
> 【ワシントン２０日共同＝井原康宏】日米安保関係に強い影響力を
>持つリチャード・アーミテージ元米国防次官補は１９日、共同通信と
>会見し、米軍普天間飛行場移設問題で、新たに建設される施設
>は、陸上施設に一部海上施設を組み合わせた「ハイブリッド（混成）
>ヘリ基地となろう」との見方を明らかにした。移設先は「名護市とそ
>の沖合が最適」との考えを示した。
> 建設場所に名護市とその沖合を選んだ理由としては(1)沖縄本島
>中部に集中している米軍基地を北部に分散できる(2)県北部の地域
>振興につながる―ことを挙げた。
>
> 元次官補は日米特別行動委員会（ＳＡＣＯ）最終報告に盛り込ま
>れた海上ヘリ基地構想の提唱者。最近、元次官補に近い関係者が
>沖縄県を訪問しており、既に地元での根回しが始まっているもよう。
−−−−−−−ペンタゴン記者会見関連部分だけ引用−−−−−−−−−−−−−
Background Briefing
Subject: SecDef's Trip to Asia, Ukraine and Georgia
Attributable To: Senior Defense Department Official
Wednesday, July 21, 1999
Q : Will this meeting with Prime Minister Obuchi and Mr.
Nonaka with
the Secretary discuss issues related to U.S. bases in Okinawa?
Briefer : Yes, we will.
Q :(inaudible)
Briefer : I think the message will be clear that even though
there are
other issues that require U.S. attention, there are
other issues that
require strong U.S. / Japan commitments
to cooperation in terms of
regional developments, that we do not forget
our commitment which we
think is extremely important, to continue steps to
ease the burden of
the forward-basing of U.S. forces on Japanese local communities.
Most pressing, of course, are our outstanding commitments
that we've
made in the so-called SACO process. I
think you all know, Secretary
Perry was in the building today for the unveiling of his
portrait. It
was a wonderful ceremony, and I was... When
I was walking by shaking
hands with he and Mrs. Perry, one of the issues he mentioned
to me was,
he said, "Let's keep up the progress on SACO. That's extremely important."
I think Secretary Cohen also shares that view.
Now of course the delicacy here
is that we acknowledge that any
progress on Futenma relocation or outstanding issues in
SACO or indeed
on any community-building efforts require
the strong support and
cooperation of the government of Japan and the government of Okinawa
and
the people of Okinawa. So we can't impose solutions. We understand
that.
We're seeking a process where we work together
toward outcomes that
benefit all the people of Japan in such a way as to strengthen our
vital
partnership for the 21st Century.
Q : Would you talk about the[G8 Summit]in Okinawa for(inaudible)?
Briefer : Can I characterize it?
Q : Yeah.
Briefer : I think it's extremely
important. I think it's a very
positive step. I actually think it's much more important
in Japan even
than it is in the United States. Because I've spent some time working
in
Japan, and it is a reminder to
the people of Japan that Okinawa is
indeed part of Japan. I think it's a reminder to Okinawa
how important
their contribution has been to the maintenance of
peace and stability
for these many years.
I think the Summit is an
absolutely fantastic opportunity to
demonstrate progress on the island, to show what
steps we've taken to
improve the working relationship between U.S. forces and
the people of
Okinawa. But let's keep in mind the real focus and the
function of the
G8 that takes place next year is
to focus on the world economy and
political developments in the world, and that's going to
be a key time
as Asia starts to reemerge from this period of economic uncertainty.
And
indeed...
Q : Are you going to Okinawa this time?
Briefer : I will not on this trip, but
I will be going in the next
several weeks, yes.
Q : In the next several weeks?
Briefer : How about I will be
going in the near future. That's a
better way to say it. We will be continuing discussions
with Japanese
counterparts.
Thank you all very much. See you on the trip, whoever's going.
−−−−−−−−−以下略−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−−
****************************
Masahiko Aoki
青木雅彦
btree@pop06.odn.ne.jp
****************************