ID :
80727
Sat, 09/19/2009 - 06:52
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/80727
The shortlink copeid
No bilateral talks with N. Korea without nuclear solution: Japanese FM
SEOUL, Sept. 18 (Yonhap) -- There will be no bilateral talks between Japan and
North Korea unless the secretive country's nuclear issue is resolved, Japan's top
diplomat said Friday.
"North Korea conducted nuclear and missile tests in defiance of the resolution at
the six-party talks," said Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in his first interview
with South Korean journalists who visited Tokyo earlier in the day. "Under the
current circumstances, there will be no bilateral talks between Japan and North
Korea."
The international talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs
involve six countries -- the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia. The
talks, last held in December, have been in a drawn-out stalemate due to
Pyongyang's refusal to return to the multilateral forum, seeking one-on-one talks
with Washington.
Okada's comments came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was reported to have
said he is willing to resolve an ongoing nuclear standoff with the international
community through "bilateral or multilateral dialogue." The U.S. announced last
week it will soon undertake bilateral negotiations with North Korea to persuade
it to return to the talks.
"The United States weighs the six-party talks," Okada continued. "The bilateral
talks between the U.S. and North Korea can be somewhat fruitful only for the
purpose of pushing forward the six-party talks."
He stressed that the five other countries in the talks "need to strengthen
cooperation and exert pressure on each other" in order to bring the North back to
the table.
The Japanese foreign minister also brought up the abduction issue, saying that
"North Korea should carry out a renewed investigation into the Japanese abduction
cases, as it had earlier agreed."
Tokyo has urged Pyongyang to come clean on its abduction of Japanese nationals in
the late 1970s and early 80s, while the North says the issue was settled after it
returned several surviving abductees.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
North Korea unless the secretive country's nuclear issue is resolved, Japan's top
diplomat said Friday.
"North Korea conducted nuclear and missile tests in defiance of the resolution at
the six-party talks," said Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in his first interview
with South Korean journalists who visited Tokyo earlier in the day. "Under the
current circumstances, there will be no bilateral talks between Japan and North
Korea."
The international talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programs
involve six countries -- the two Koreas, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia. The
talks, last held in December, have been in a drawn-out stalemate due to
Pyongyang's refusal to return to the multilateral forum, seeking one-on-one talks
with Washington.
Okada's comments came after North Korean leader Kim Jong-il was reported to have
said he is willing to resolve an ongoing nuclear standoff with the international
community through "bilateral or multilateral dialogue." The U.S. announced last
week it will soon undertake bilateral negotiations with North Korea to persuade
it to return to the talks.
"The United States weighs the six-party talks," Okada continued. "The bilateral
talks between the U.S. and North Korea can be somewhat fruitful only for the
purpose of pushing forward the six-party talks."
He stressed that the five other countries in the talks "need to strengthen
cooperation and exert pressure on each other" in order to bring the North back to
the table.
The Japanese foreign minister also brought up the abduction issue, saying that
"North Korea should carry out a renewed investigation into the Japanese abduction
cases, as it had earlier agreed."
Tokyo has urged Pyongyang to come clean on its abduction of Japanese nationals in
the late 1970s and early 80s, while the North says the issue was settled after it
returned several surviving abductees.
ygkim@yna.co.kr
(END)
