US Def Sec NKorea comment, piracy s'bite

(1 Jun 2009) 1. Wide of plane with people around 2. US Defence Secretary Robert Gates and his wife walking down steps of plane 3. Mid of honour guard 4. Wide of military honour guard 5. Gates being welcomed by Philippine and US officials 6. Exterior of "General Headquarters, Armed Forces of the Philippines" 7. Wide of Gates at news conference with Philippine Secretary of National Defence, Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr. 8. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary: "We have seen some signs that there is a, that they may be doing something with another Taepodong-2 missile, but at this point, it's not clear what they're going to do." 9. Mid of news conference 10. SOUNDBITE (English) Robert Gates, US Defence Secretary: "I think we ought to wait and see how those conversations go and how our partners in the six-party-talks, other than Pyongyang, react to the developments of the last few weeks and see where we go from here diplomatically and I think I'd rather not sort of speculate on what we might do after that. Let's wait and see and hope that these conversations are productive." 11. Mid of cameramen AP Television News 12. SOUNDBITE : (English) Robert Gates, US Defense Secretary "There are a range of security challenges here in Asia, I must say though that I think that the progress that Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand and Singapore have made in recent years in dealing with the piracy problem in the Straits of Malacca, in many respects is a model of what we would like to see happen in the Gulf of Aden and off the Horn of Africa. The truth is, there has been significant progress, we have been pleased to help these countries in terms of maritime surveillance and equipment as we are trying to work with other nations off the Horn of Africa, so I think frankly that's an area where there has been real progress." (FIRST RUN 0930 AMERICAS PRIME NEWS, JUNE 1 2009) 13. Mid of Teodoro and Gates as they leave podium STORYLINE US Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on Monday North Korea appeared to be working on a long-range missile, but warned it was not clear yet what they planned to do with it. At a news conference in Manila with Philippines Secretary of National Defence Gilberto C. Teodoro Jr., Gates said there had been "some signs" that North Korea was preparing another long-range missile. The reclusive communist regime tested a long-range missile in April, but other launches over the last week had been only short-range rockets. North Korea has transported its most advanced missile, believed to be capable of reaching Alaska, to a launch site on its west coast near China, news reports said on Monday. Pyongyang was also reportedly bolstering it defences and conducting amphibious assault exercises along its western shore, near disputed waters where deadly naval clashes with the South have occurred in the past. South Korea's Yonhap news agency said the missile had been sent by train to the newly completed missile facility of Dongchang-ni, about 40 miles (60 kilometres) from the Chinese border. Yonhap, quoting government sources, said the missile could be ready to launch in a week or two. South Korean media have speculated that the North wanted to time the launch for around June 16, when South Korean President Lee Myung-bak has a summit in Washington with President Barack Obama. Gates said it was not clear what North Korea was doing. He said the threat posed by Pyongyang was best tackled by partnering nations. "Let's wait and see and hope that these conversations are productive." 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...