(News Focus) Japan under growing pressure to join energy aid for N. Korea

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Oct. 21 (Yonhap) -- To go ahead with or without Japan? That is the dilemma for South Korea and the United States as they seek to facilitate the delayed delivery of energy assistance to North Korea as promised under the six-way nuclear deal last year.

Discontented with the removal of North Korea from the U.S. list of terrorism
sponsors, Japan recently reaffirmed it would not contribute any aid unless the
communist state fully accounts for the fate of Japanese civilians it kidnapped in
the 1970s and 1980s to train its spies.
"If this sort of progress is made, they (North Korea) will demand energy and
economic assistance," Prime Minister Taro Aso said shortly after Washington's
announcement of a deal with Pyongyang last week on verifying its nuclear claims.
"As long as there is no progress on the abduction issue, however, we will not
respond to this kind of demand."
Tokyo's firm stance was a blow, especially for the U.S., which wants to complete
the second stage of the three-tier denuclearization process before President
George W. Bush leaves office in January.
At the last round of six-way talks also involving China and Russia, the North
agreed to complete the disablement of its main nuclear facilities in Yonbgyon by
the end of October, over half a year behind the original target date. Its
dialogue partners also promised to wrap up the shipment of one million tons of
fuel oil or equivalent aid by the same month. About half of the promised aid has
been delivered so far without Japan's participation.
Unlikely to meet the deadline due to time wasted in a dispute over how to verify
the North's June declaration of its nuclear assets, the Bush administration is
pushing to complete the second phase within its tenure for what would be a major
foreign policy achievement.
South Korea, which chairs the energy aid working group at the six-way talks,
still hopes Asia's largest economy will foot the bill for 200,000 tons of fuel
oil aid as a member of the negotiations that began in 2003.
"We understand the Japanese political situation involving the sensitive abduction
issue," a senior foreign ministry official said on condition of anonymity. "But
the best option is that Japan takes part in the energy aid. Nothing has been
decided yet for now."
When asked what would happen should Japan continue to boycott, the official
hinted at an alternative.
"For North Korea, who provides the fuel oil is not important. It just wants to
receive all the promised energy aid as early as possible," he added.
Chief U.S. nuclear negotiator Christopher Hill also indicated that the six-way
talks may have an "outside donor."
"Obviously how we provide the total amount is a problem we would have to resolve,
but I am not prepared at this point to say which countries will provide
additional fuel oil," he said in an interview with Japan's Asahi newspaper which
provided an English transcript on its Web site. "I'm not prepared to say whether
other countries will step in although certainly there have been indication that
we could get additional fuel oil from elsewhere."
A diplomatic source in Seoul cites Australia or the European Union as a potential
donor, as both of them have expressed willingness to play a role in the
disarmament process.
It remains unclear, however, whether all the members of the six-way talks will
welcome the emergence of a new player, which may shake the framework of the
talks.
Chances are higher that South Korea, the U.S, China, and Russia will decide to
share the burden for Japan's portion, added the source.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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