Aso expresses 'dissatisfaction' over U.S. delisting of N. Korea+

TOKYO, Oct. 14 Kyodo - Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso expressed dissatisfaction Tuesday over Washington's removal of North Korea from its list of terror-sponsoring states, although he showed a certain understanding of the decision.

''We have clearly said that we are dissatisfied with the delisting,'' Aso said
in parliamentary deliberations, stressing he has conveyed to Washington Japan's
stance of seeking a resolution to North Korea's decades-old abductions of
Japanese citizens.
''Our basic policy of continuing to demand that North Korea begin its promised
reinvestigations soon to lead to the return of all survivors will remain
unchanged,'' Aso said during the morning session.
''I would like to continue to maintain the basic stance of seeking
normalization of ties after a comprehensive solution of the various concerns
over the abduction, nuclear and missile issues, and settlement of the
unfortunate past,'' he added.
On the delisting, Aso told reporters later in the day that it is ''a way'' to
move the six-party talks on denuclearizing North Korea forward. ''It is
important to hold the six-party talks in order also to proceed with the
abduction issue,'' Aso said.
On energy aid to North Korea, the prime minister said, ''Our policy is not to
join economic and energy assistance under the six-party framework'' without
seeing developments in the Japan-North Korea relationship, including resolution
of the abduction issue.
Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said separately that Japan will maintain its
stance of not participating in the provision of heavy oil to North Korea under
a fuel-for-disablement agreement in the six-party framework until the
abductions are addressed.
''We consider resolving the abduction issue as being most important and this
policy remains unchanged,'' Nakasone said.
Chief Cabinet Secretary Takeo Kawamura said the United States and South Korea
have expressed understanding of Japan's stance, while he also acknowledged that
there have been calls by fellow members of the six-party talks for Japan to
take part in the economic assistance.
The Japanese government will hold a meeting of its headquarters on the
abduction issue, headed by Aso and to be attended by all Cabinet ministers, on
Wednesday to reconfirm Japan's policy, Kawamura said.
It will be the first such meeting in two years since one was held in October
2006 under then Prime Minister Shinzo Abe.
Kawamura emphasized the government is well aware of concerns about how the
abduction issue will develop and that it still has various cards in hand as
both Japan and the United States will continue sanctions against North Korea.
''We must strongly demand that a (North Korean) reinvestigation panel be set up
with the appropriate mandate and authority,'' Kawamura told parliament. ''After
all the abductees are returned, there will be normalization of (Japan-North
Korea) relations and economic aid which North Korea hopes for.''
In an apparent attempt to downplay views that Japan was not fully consulted
before the U.S. delisting, Nakasone said, ''I cannot reveal the details such as
when and how, but we have been in close contact with the United States and we
were informed in advance of the delisting.''
U.S. President George W. Bush's phone call to Aso regarding the delisting
decision took place only about 30 minutes before the U.S. State Department
announcement.
Japan had repeatedly urged that North Korea be kept on the blacklist until
progress is seen on resolving the abductions of Japanese nationals by North
Korean agents in the 1970s and 1980s. At least a dozen abductees remain missing
and Japan believes they are in North Korea.
But Washington went ahead with rescinding its designation of North Korea as a
state sponsor of terrorism Saturday to advance stalled talks on the country's
denuclearization.