Tokyo summons algerian envoy on hostage crisis
19 Jan 2013 5:48 AM IST
Tokyo summoned the Algerian ambassador on Friday to demand answers on the desert hostage crisis in which at least 14 of its nationals are still missing, as Prime Minister Shinzo Abe said he was heading home to take charge of Japan's response.
Tokyo ramped up the pressure on Algeria over an ongoing military operation launched by troops in the north African state that sparked intense international criticism, with Abe saying British and American expertise would have helped.
A lack of concrete information over what Britain called an ongoing ‘terrorist incident’ at the BP-operated In Amenas plant has frayed nerves in Tokyo and other world capitals eager for news of the fate of dozens of hostages.
Japanese senior vice foreign minister Shunichi Suzuki told ambassador Sid Ali Ketrandji that Japan was disturbed by the way the ground and air assault had been carried out, a foreign ministry statement said.
‘From the view point of protecting the lives of the hostages, Japan is deeply worried that the government of Algeria conducted the military operation to rescue hostages,’ Suzuki told Ketrandji.
‘Based on strong wish of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, we again ask that Algeria swiftly provides up-to-date information, makes the protection of human lives the priority, and coordinates closely,’ Suzuki told the envoy.
Abe told reporters in Jakarta he was cutting short his trip to Indonesia to take charge in Tokyo. ‘We are still not sure about the safety of 14 out of 17 Japanese nationals,’ he said. ‘I have decided that I should return early and give instructions. I will cut this trip short and will return Japan.
‘I want to do everything possible to rescue them safely.’ Abe, who had been on a relationship-building tour of Southeast Asia, was expected to leave Jakarta at 1730 IST, reports said.
Japan has been on tenterhooks since news first emerged that some of its nationals had been kidnapped by Islamist gunmen who overran the desert gas plant, purportedly to avenge a French-led offensive in Mali.
Abe said while Algeria had a long history of dealing with terrorism, it would be wise to ask for help from other countries.
Tokyo ramped up the pressure on Algeria over an ongoing military operation launched by troops in the north African state that sparked intense international criticism, with Abe saying British and American expertise would have helped.
A lack of concrete information over what Britain called an ongoing ‘terrorist incident’ at the BP-operated In Amenas plant has frayed nerves in Tokyo and other world capitals eager for news of the fate of dozens of hostages.
Japanese senior vice foreign minister Shunichi Suzuki told ambassador Sid Ali Ketrandji that Japan was disturbed by the way the ground and air assault had been carried out, a foreign ministry statement said.
‘From the view point of protecting the lives of the hostages, Japan is deeply worried that the government of Algeria conducted the military operation to rescue hostages,’ Suzuki told Ketrandji.
‘Based on strong wish of Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, we again ask that Algeria swiftly provides up-to-date information, makes the protection of human lives the priority, and coordinates closely,’ Suzuki told the envoy.
Abe told reporters in Jakarta he was cutting short his trip to Indonesia to take charge in Tokyo. ‘We are still not sure about the safety of 14 out of 17 Japanese nationals,’ he said. ‘I have decided that I should return early and give instructions. I will cut this trip short and will return Japan.
‘I want to do everything possible to rescue them safely.’ Abe, who had been on a relationship-building tour of Southeast Asia, was expected to leave Jakarta at 1730 IST, reports said.
Japan has been on tenterhooks since news first emerged that some of its nationals had been kidnapped by Islamist gunmen who overran the desert gas plant, purportedly to avenge a French-led offensive in Mali.
Abe said while Algeria had a long history of dealing with terrorism, it would be wise to ask for help from other countries.
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