Rescue Abductees 救う会 全国協議会

This is the official text of the letter addressed to Secretary Clinton from the Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN) and National Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea(NARKN: Rescue Abductees).

This letter was delivered to the Secretary during AFVKN and NARKN's meeting with the Secretary today.

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February 17, 2009

Honorable Hillary Clinton　　　　　　　　　　　　　　

The U.S. Secretary of State

Dear Madame Secretary,

Thank you very much for sharing your time with us today despite yourbusy schedule.

The abductions carried out by North Korea are an ongoing state crime. Weare convinced that many victims are alive and still being detained byNorth Korea. Rescuing the Japanese abductees, of course, is first andforemost the task of the Japanese government. At the same time, backupby our ally the United States of America carries great meaning.

The victims of North Korean abduction are not limited to the Japanese.Citizens of at least 12 countries have been abducted, including a clericwho has U.S. permanent resident status. International pressure againstthe North, particularly from the United States, is indispensable to anyresolution of the issue.

For these reasons, we were deeply disappointed by the previous U.S.administration’s premature delisting of North Korea from the StateDepartment terrorism list. North Korea continuously violates itsagreements despite the considerable international efforts to engage it.We understand that you will be reviewing this situation in the nearfuture and ask that you seriously consider re-listing North Korea as astate sponsor of terrorism.

It is our firm hope that, under your leadership, the new U.S.administration will vigorously assert a bold foreign policy to expandfreedom. We, too, are determined to fight hard to rescue all of theabduction victims and liberate all North Korean residents fromoppression.

We deeply appreciate your tireless efforts on a day-to-day basis.

Sincerely,

Shigeo Iizuka,

Chairman Association of the Families of Victims Kidnapped by North Korea (AFVKN)

Yoshiaki Fujino,

ChairmanNational Association for the Rescue of Japanese Kidnapped by North Korea(NARKN)