Japan stands by U.S. dealing with N. Korea via nuke sampling+

TOKYO, Nov. 14 Kyodo - Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone said Friday it is Japan's understanding that an October agreement between the United States and North Korea on verifying Pyongyang's nuclear programs includes taking samples, dismissing a statement from the North on Wednesday that nixed nuclear sampling.

''We have been told by the United States that scientific procedures, including
the taking of samples, will be conducted,'' Nakasone told a morning news
conference. ''The United States has also made that fact public.''
Nakasone reiterated Japan's stance that sample-taking and other specific
measures of the verification mechanism should be put into writing and made a
concrete agreement under the six-party nuclear talks framework.
He said there are no clear prospects for when the next chief delegates meeting
of the six-way talks will resume. The talks involve North and South Korea, the
United States, China, Japan and Russia.
''We must draw up a document on the specifics of the verification mechanism at
the next round of six-party talks. That is most important,'' Nakasone said,
stressing Japan's call for the meeting to be held soon.
There has been speculation that the meeting may be held by the end of this
month. But last week, Japan's top envoy to the six-way negotiations said after
meeting his Chinese counterpart, who is the chair of the talks, that Beijing is
not ready to call the group's next meeting due to differences over how to put
the U.S.-North Korea deal on paper.
The U.S. State Department said Oct. 11 that Pyongyang had agreed in bilateral
talks with Washington to allow its six-way talks partners to use as
verification methods ''scientific procedures, including sampling and forensic
activities.''