Howard Baker Government Quotations

I intend to travel to Okinawa and to visit with Okinawa officials and the citizens of Okinawa at an early date. I will send my best analysis of that situation, including the local attitudes, back to Washington, to the government there.

Any time the United States government turns over an American citizen, including military personnel, to the government of another country, it is in our nature to want to make sure that they receive the best treatment, the fairest treatment, and the most humane treatment.

I think and hope and believe that the Japanese government and the people of Japan will be happy and content with the progress of justice in this case and that it will not become a great issue in the future.

We must examine then the concerns of the Government of Japan about the language of the treaty itself - of SOFA - and of the interim and further arrangements that have been made since 1995, and see whether or not we need to make any changes. Those are decisions I cannot make.

He is still characterized as a deserter of the U.S. Army. Our government will proceed according to provisions of the law and how that will finally unfold remains to be seen.

I acknowledged to Foreign Minister Kawaguchi that the U.S. government is sympathetic to his health condition and that Sgt. Jenkins' medical condition may delay our request for his transfer to U.S. custody.

I think it is a great tribute to the Government of Japan and to those who were handling it, including the Foreign Minister and the Prime Minister, that we were able to negotiate at the highest levels - I mean the President, the Secretary of State, and then my opportunity - without high emotionalism.