Japan expects substantial and comprehensive discussions in the
third round of six-party talks on the Korean Peninsula nuclear
issue and will make positive contributions to resolve the issue,
said Japanese delegation head Mitoji Yabunaka in Beijing Wednesday
at the opening ceremony of the six-party talks.?
It had been ten months since the six-party talks were started
last summer, said Mitoji Yabunaka, and whether this round of talks
makes positive progress will test the credibility of this process
itself, while facing nuclear development as the most pressing
issue.
Mitoji Yabunaka, also director-general of the Asian and Oceanian
Affairs Bureau of the Japanese Foreign Ministry, said that this
round of talks will be in the meantime a good opportunity and tough
challenge for peacefully resolving the Korean Peninsula nuclear
issue.
The six parties should not seal themselves off in a stalemate of
mistrusting each other, but should make concerted efforts for
resolving the issue, said Mitoji Yabunaka, and Japan will make
positive contributions to this end.
The third round of six-party talks, involving China, the
Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK), the United States,
the Republic of Korea (ROK), Russia and Japan, will run from
Wednesday to Saturday.
(Xinhua News Agency June 24, 2004)