US defence secretary visits troops stationed in country

>> YOUR LINK HERE: ___ http://youtube.com/watch?v=TscIbCu5EBU

(24 Oct 2011) SHOTLIST • 1. Close of US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta at event with US and Japanese troops • 2. Wide of Panetta walking to podium to make speech • 3. Cutaway of troops applauding • 4. SOUNDBITE (English) Leon Panetta, US Defence Secretary: • We are not anticipating any cutbacks in this region. If anything we're going to strengthen our presence in the Pacific. • 5. US and Japanese flags, tilt down to wide of speech • 6. SOUNDBITE (English) Leon Panetta, US Defence Secretary: • The State Department is obviously focusing on what kind of assistance can we provide as they (Libyans) try to develop the institutions of government. This is going to be challenging. But they have shown tremendous leadership to bring their country to the point where they could declare liberation. • 7. Various of Panetta with US and Japanese troops • STORYLINE • US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta on Monday said that despite upcoming budget cuts there will be no reduction in US forces in Asia and the Pacific. • Panetta, who arrived at Yokota US air base on the second leg of a week-long Asia tour, said that if anything we're going to strengthen our presence in the region. • He made the comments at a question-and-answer session with US and Japanese troops. • Panetta also thanked military and civilian personnel for helping with relief and recovery efforts in the wake of the country's devastating earthquake and tsunami in March this year and stressed the strong alliance between the two nations. • When asked about the situation in Libya, Panetta said the country faces huge challenges as it strives to develop the institutions of government. • Meanwhile, Panetta lashed out at North Korea for reckless and provocative acts and criticised China for a secretive expansion of its military power in an opinion piece published on Monday by Japan's Yomiuri newspaper before his arrival. • Panetta's strong language comes as US and North Korean officials gather in Geneva for talks that Washington says are aimed at determining whether Pyongyang is serious about returning to nuclear disarmament talks. • Japan also worries about North Korea and is one of five countries that have jointly tried to persuade the North Koreans to cap and reverse their nuclear arms programme. • The other four are the US, China, Russia and South Korea. • Panetta also criticised China describing its rapidly modernising military as having a troubling lack of transparency, coupled with increasingly assertive activity in the East and South China Seas . • A day earlier, in Bali, Indonesia, Panetta offered more positive remarks about China. He told reporters that Beijing deserved praise for a relatively mild response to a 5.8 (B) billion (US) dollar US arms sale to Taiwan announced in September. • Panetta is not visiting China on this trip, his first to Asia since becoming Pentagon chief in July. • • Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork • Twitter: / ap_archive • Facebook: / aparchives • Instagram: / apnews • • • You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...

#############################

New on site