ID :
183602
Sun, 05/22/2011 - 13:56
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Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/183602
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S. Korea, Japan, China agree to boost cooperation in nuclear safety, disaster handling
(ATTN: UPDATES with bilateral meetings in last 7 paras; ADDS photo; TRIMS)
By Chang Jae-soon
TOKYO, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Leaders of South Korea, Japan and China agreed Sunday to establish an early notification system for nuclear accidents, strengthen the sharing of related information and take other steps to bolster cooperation in handling disasters.
Nuclear safety and disaster management were the top topics at the annual summit of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, as host Japan is still reeling from the aftermath of March's massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.
At the start of the summit, the three leaders offered a moment of silence for the victims.
"We have learned (from Japan's nuclear accident) that immediate information exchange is urgently necessary," Lee said at a joint news conference. "I think it is very important that we reached an agreement at this meeting to closely exchange nuclear safety information."
The three countries adopted a joint summit declaration, pledging to promote cooperation not only on nuclear safety and disaster management, but also on economic, security, regional and international issues.
They also adopted annex documents specifying cooperative steps in nuclear safety, disaster management and sustainable growth, promising to start discussions on "establishing an early notification framework and exchanging experts," and to share information on radiation-spreading atmospheric currents and their movements at times of accidents.
They also agreed to ensure quick information sharing at times of disasters, send relief teams and supplies as early as possible, strengthen cooperation in recovery efforts and conduct joint anti-disaster drills.
Japan used the three-way summit as a chance to demonstrate that the country is bringing the disaster situation under control and to drum up support for recovery efforts, causing Lee and Wen to visit Fukushima, home to the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that is still spewing radiation, on Saturday.
Lee and Wen were the first foreign leaders to visit the region since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck the power plant, causing damaged reactors to leak radiation in the world's worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
During the visit, Lee not only comforted displaced residents, but also tasted, before a barrage of camera flashes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables produced in Fukushima in a symbolic gesture displaying solidarity and underlining the safety of foods produced in the nuclear accident-stricken region.
At Sunday's summit, the three leaders also agreed to complete a joint study at an early date into the possibility of forging a three-way free trade agreement and welcomed the progress made in setting up a joint secretariat to be established in Seoul later this year to handle cooperation projects, officials said.
The leaders also discussed the importance of seeking sustainable growth through using renewable energy and improved energy efficiency. They agreed to strengthen policy dialogue and human exchanges on the issue, they said.
Business officials of the three Asian countries held a meeting on the sidelines of the summit and called for their leaders to step up efforts for a trilateral free trade agreement. The officials of each nation's key business lobby groups also asked their leaders to beef up cooperation in energy and environment areas.
On North Korea, the leaders expressed concern over Pyongyang's uranium enrichment program and agreed that the right dialogue atmosphere should be created before restarting the six-party talks on the nuclear standoff and that inter-Korean talks should precede the nuclear talks.
South Korea has urged the North to take concrete steps demonstrating its denuclearization commitment and apologize for last year's two deadly attacks before resuming the stalled nuclear talks that bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.
During the summit, Lee denounced the North's uranium program as a brazen violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that should be dealt with sternly so as not to give Pyongyang the wrong message, a Seoul official said.
China's Wen also said that Beijing is taking the uranium issue "very gravely," the official said.
Lee later met separately with the Chinese and Japanese leaders.
In talks with the Chinese leader, Wen told Lee that Beijing invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in an effort to help Pyongyang learn about China's economic development and use it for reviving its own economy, an official said.
Wen also made it clear that China opposes a nuclear-armed North Korea and would work to create the environment for inter-Korean dialogue, the official said.
Lee and Wen also agreed to try to achieve their goal of boosting bilateral trade volume to US$300 billion earlier than the originally scheduled target of 2015 and expand high-level exchanges to mark the 20th anniversary of their ties next year.
The sides also reaffirmed the importance of North Korea's denuclearization.
Lee also held talks with Kan and agreed on a "partnership," calling for South Korea's support for efforts to boost economic recovery and tourism in Japan's disaster-stricken northeastern region. They also agreed to hold a high-level meeting later this year to discuss nuclear safety cooperation.
Kan promised to do his best to have ancient Korean royal documents returned to Seoul as early as possible and expressed hope for an early resumption of the stalled free trade negotiations. Both leaders reaffirmed their common position that North Korea should demonstrate its denuclearization commitment through action before the six-party talks resume.
jschang@yna.co.kr
By Chang Jae-soon
TOKYO, May 22 (Yonhap) -- Leaders of South Korea, Japan and China agreed Sunday to establish an early notification system for nuclear accidents, strengthen the sharing of related information and take other steps to bolster cooperation in handling disasters.
Nuclear safety and disaster management were the top topics at the annual summit of South Korean President Lee Myung-bak, Japanese Prime Minister Naoto Kan and Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, as host Japan is still reeling from the aftermath of March's massive earthquake, tsunami and nuclear crisis.
At the start of the summit, the three leaders offered a moment of silence for the victims.
"We have learned (from Japan's nuclear accident) that immediate information exchange is urgently necessary," Lee said at a joint news conference. "I think it is very important that we reached an agreement at this meeting to closely exchange nuclear safety information."
The three countries adopted a joint summit declaration, pledging to promote cooperation not only on nuclear safety and disaster management, but also on economic, security, regional and international issues.
They also adopted annex documents specifying cooperative steps in nuclear safety, disaster management and sustainable growth, promising to start discussions on "establishing an early notification framework and exchanging experts," and to share information on radiation-spreading atmospheric currents and their movements at times of accidents.
They also agreed to ensure quick information sharing at times of disasters, send relief teams and supplies as early as possible, strengthen cooperation in recovery efforts and conduct joint anti-disaster drills.
Japan used the three-way summit as a chance to demonstrate that the country is bringing the disaster situation under control and to drum up support for recovery efforts, causing Lee and Wen to visit Fukushima, home to the quake-damaged Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant that is still spewing radiation, on Saturday.
Lee and Wen were the first foreign leaders to visit the region since the March 11 earthquake and tsunami struck the power plant, causing damaged reactors to leak radiation in the world's worst nuclear accident since the 1986 Chernobyl disaster.
During the visit, Lee not only comforted displaced residents, but also tasted, before a barrage of camera flashes, cherry tomatoes, cucumbers and other vegetables produced in Fukushima in a symbolic gesture displaying solidarity and underlining the safety of foods produced in the nuclear accident-stricken region.
At Sunday's summit, the three leaders also agreed to complete a joint study at an early date into the possibility of forging a three-way free trade agreement and welcomed the progress made in setting up a joint secretariat to be established in Seoul later this year to handle cooperation projects, officials said.
The leaders also discussed the importance of seeking sustainable growth through using renewable energy and improved energy efficiency. They agreed to strengthen policy dialogue and human exchanges on the issue, they said.
Business officials of the three Asian countries held a meeting on the sidelines of the summit and called for their leaders to step up efforts for a trilateral free trade agreement. The officials of each nation's key business lobby groups also asked their leaders to beef up cooperation in energy and environment areas.
On North Korea, the leaders expressed concern over Pyongyang's uranium enrichment program and agreed that the right dialogue atmosphere should be created before restarting the six-party talks on the nuclear standoff and that inter-Korean talks should precede the nuclear talks.
South Korea has urged the North to take concrete steps demonstrating its denuclearization commitment and apologize for last year's two deadly attacks before resuming the stalled nuclear talks that bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.
During the summit, Lee denounced the North's uranium program as a brazen violation of U.N. Security Council resolutions that should be dealt with sternly so as not to give Pyongyang the wrong message, a Seoul official said.
China's Wen also said that Beijing is taking the uranium issue "very gravely," the official said.
Lee later met separately with the Chinese and Japanese leaders.
In talks with the Chinese leader, Wen told Lee that Beijing invited North Korean leader Kim Jong-il in an effort to help Pyongyang learn about China's economic development and use it for reviving its own economy, an official said.
Wen also made it clear that China opposes a nuclear-armed North Korea and would work to create the environment for inter-Korean dialogue, the official said.
Lee and Wen also agreed to try to achieve their goal of boosting bilateral trade volume to US$300 billion earlier than the originally scheduled target of 2015 and expand high-level exchanges to mark the 20th anniversary of their ties next year.
The sides also reaffirmed the importance of North Korea's denuclearization.
Lee also held talks with Kan and agreed on a "partnership," calling for South Korea's support for efforts to boost economic recovery and tourism in Japan's disaster-stricken northeastern region. They also agreed to hold a high-level meeting later this year to discuss nuclear safety cooperation.
Kan promised to do his best to have ancient Korean royal documents returned to Seoul as early as possible and expressed hope for an early resumption of the stalled free trade negotiations. Both leaders reaffirmed their common position that North Korea should demonstrate its denuclearization commitment through action before the six-party talks resume.
jschang@yna.co.kr
