U.S. official satisfied with situation of N. Korea sanctions

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TOKYO, Aug. 25 Kyodo -
A visiting U.S. official in charge of sanctions on North Korea expressed
satisfaction Tuesday with how a U.N. Security Council resolution aimed at
punishing Pyongyang is being implemented by the Asian countries he has toured
since last week, a senior Japanese Foreign Ministry official said.
Philip Goldberg was quoted by Akitaka Saiki, director general of the Japanese
Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, as saying he is
''basically satisfied'' with the situation regarding the sanctions during their
meeting in Tokyo -- the final leg of his Asian tour which also took him to
Singapore, Thailand and South Korea.
''Based on the outcome of Ambassador Goldberg's series of visits, we have
agreed to step up our cooperation further in the area (of dealing with North
Korean nuclear and missile issues),'' Saiki told reporters after his meeting
with Goldberg, coordinator of the implementation of U.N. Security Council
Resolution 1874.
The United States has expressed concerns over a possible transfer of nuclear
technology from North Korea to Myanmar, and is calling on countries that are
located around the two nations' ship course to cooperate in implementing the
resolution.
''Although there may be some differences depending on the countries...the
assessment (of Mr. Goldberg) was that the actual situation of the
implementation is basically satisfactory,'' Saiki told reporters.
''We believe we are already giving North Korea a substantially large impact
through the sanctions which are currently being implemented sincerely and
steadily,'' he added.
Referring to recent conciliatory moves by North Korea, Saiki said it is
important for the countries concerned to continue to press the North to abandon
its nuclear weapons and that they should not ''feel nervous'' about such
phenomenal events.
Goldberg's visit to Japan comes at a time when North Korea appears eager for
dialogue in a shift from the acts described by many counties as provocative,
such as its second nuclear test in May.
Earlier in August, North Korea released two detained U.S. journalists following
a visit to Pyongyang by former U.S. President Bill Clinton.
North Korea then freed a South Korean employee of the Hyundai Group who had
been detained since late March, agreed with Hyundai on a set of measures aimed
at improving bilateral ties including resumption of inter-Korean tourism
projects, and sent a delegation to Seoul to mourn the death of former South
Korean President Kim Dae Jung.
On whether the set of measures agreed on between North Korean and the Hyundai
Group will violate the U.N. resolution, Saiki said Japan will respect the
decision of South Korea's government but noted that ''international society is
paying attention to how money will flow'' to North Korea and how they will be
used.
Saiki is also Japan's chief negotiator at the stalled six-party talks aimed at
denuclearizing North Korea.
In April, North Korea said it will pull out of the six-party talks, which also
involve China, South Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States, in protest at
a U.N. Security Council statement denouncing a rocket launch by Pyongyang that
was widely seen as a disguised missile test.
North Korea then detonated a nuclear device in May for the second time, which
in turn led to the passage of the U.N. Security Council resolution tightening
sanctions on North Korea.
==Kyodo