ID :
10347
Thu, 06/19/2008 - 13:11
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/10347
The shortlink copeid
Japan urged to provide N. Korea with energy aid
SEOUL, June 19 (Kyodo) - South Korea's top nuclear envoy urged Japan on Wednesday to participate in providing economic and energy aid to North Korea under an aid-for-denucelarization deal.
"One thing that is lacking is Japan's participation in providing economic and energy aid (to North Korea) still remains unclear,'' Kim Sook, the chief South Korean representative to the six-party talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization, said at a news conference for foreign correspondents in Seoul.
Last week, Japan announced a plan to partially lift economic sanctions, which it had imposed on North Korea since the North's nuclear test in 2006, following a North Korean decision to reinvestigate the issue of Japanese nationals
abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s.
Japan, however, said it will wait to see the results of North Korea's reinvestigation before deciding whether to participate in providing energy aid to the North.
''Now, Japan's joining (in offering economic and energy aid to North Korea) will complete economic and energy aid smoothly,'' Kim said.
Under the aid-for-denuclearization deal, North Korea is to abandon its nuclear programs in exchange for political benefits and a million tons of fuel aid.
Half the aid is heavy oil while the rest consists of energy facilities equivalent to 500,000 tons of heavy oil.
Pyongyang's failure to offer a credible description of its nuclear programs by an end-of-2007 deadline has resulted in a five-month stall in the denuclearization process.
The current second phase of denuclearization, which obliges North Korea to disable its nuclear facilities and declare all its nuclear programs, is to be followed by the third phase in which Pyongyang must give up all its fissile material.
"One thing that is lacking is Japan's participation in providing economic and energy aid (to North Korea) still remains unclear,'' Kim Sook, the chief South Korean representative to the six-party talks on Pyongyang's denuclearization, said at a news conference for foreign correspondents in Seoul.
Last week, Japan announced a plan to partially lift economic sanctions, which it had imposed on North Korea since the North's nuclear test in 2006, following a North Korean decision to reinvestigate the issue of Japanese nationals
abducted by North Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s.
Japan, however, said it will wait to see the results of North Korea's reinvestigation before deciding whether to participate in providing energy aid to the North.
''Now, Japan's joining (in offering economic and energy aid to North Korea) will complete economic and energy aid smoothly,'' Kim said.
Under the aid-for-denuclearization deal, North Korea is to abandon its nuclear programs in exchange for political benefits and a million tons of fuel aid.
Half the aid is heavy oil while the rest consists of energy facilities equivalent to 500,000 tons of heavy oil.
Pyongyang's failure to offer a credible description of its nuclear programs by an end-of-2007 deadline has resulted in a five-month stall in the denuclearization process.
The current second phase of denuclearization, which obliges North Korea to disable its nuclear facilities and declare all its nuclear programs, is to be followed by the third phase in which Pyongyang must give up all its fissile material.
