Japan to Seek Abduction Issue Resolution at 6-Way Talks

Tokyo, Jan. 30 (Jiji Press)–Japan will continue to pursue a resolution to the abduction issue at the six-way talks on North Korea’s nuclear programs, set to restart in Beijing on Feb. 8, Japanese officials said Tuesday.

Announcing the resumption of the talks, suspended since December, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Jiang Yu said China hopes that all parties will confirm they are willing to begin implementing steps included in the September 2005 statement, in which North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear programs in return for aid and other incentives.

Japan will continue to seek tangible results, such as a North Korean agreement to accept inspections by the International Atomic Energy Agency and the closure of nuclear test facilities in Yongbyon, the Japanese officials said.

“Japan will cooperate with other countries and strongly request North Korea to take concrete steps toward nuclear disarmament,” Deputy Chief Cabinet Secretary Seiji Suzuki said at a news conference.

Japan will also propose discussing the issue of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korean agents, Suzuki said.

The last six-party meeting ended on Dec. 22 without the nuclear issue even being discussed. This was because North Korea persisted in calling for the termination of U.S. financial sanctions.

North Korea opposed the abduction issue being discussed at the December talks and refused to hold a bilateral meeting on the matter with Japan on the sidelines of the six-way talks.

When senior Liberal Democratic Party lawmaker Taku Yamasaki visited North Korea earlier this month, the country showed no change in its stance, only saying that the abduction issue has already been resolved.

In addition, recent talks between North Korea and the United States in Berlin are not in Japan’s favor. Following the talks, North Korea proposed certain compromises, such as the suspension of its nuclear facilities in return for an easing of U.S. sanctions.

The change has triggered speculation that the United States may have agreed to ease at least some of its sanctions. In response, some six-party member countries voiced concern about Japan’s attempt to raise the abduction issue.

South Korean President Roh Moo Hyun said last week that few of the six countries hope the abduction issue will be treated in a similar way to the nuclear issue.

A Foreign Ministry official warned that Japan may face an uphill battle, saying North Korea may have regained confidence since its Berlin talks with the United States.

The six-party talks involve China, Japan, North and South Korea, Russia and the United States.END

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