The delegation heads from Japan and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) both agreed that it is "very important" to
peacefully settle the Korean Peninsula nuclear issue through
six-party talks, said a senior official from the Japanese
delegation in Beijing Thursday.??
The Japanese delegation member told press Thursday evening that
during a bilateral consultation lasting about 40 minutes Thursday
afternoon, Japanese delegation head Mitoji Yabunaka and the DPRK
delegation head Kim Kye-gwan exchanged views on the nuclear issue
and the bilateral issues.
The two sides also reiterated the importance of implementing the
Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration as the basis for settlement of the
issues with common concern, he said.
He said Japanese delegation also made contacts with the
delegations from the Republic of Korea, China and the United States
Thursday afternoon.
He also confirmed the news reported by the Kyodo news service
that Japan would participate in the international energy assistance
for the DPRK if the DPRK's nuclear-freezing initiative were
confirmed. It was the first time for Japan to make clear the
possibility of its energy assistance for the DPRK during the
six-party talks.
According the handouts from the Japanese side, Yabunaka said at
the six-party talks' plenary session Thursday morning that all
concerned parties made detailed discussion for solving the nuclear
issue, and this was a significant phenomenon.
The concerned parties should show mutual trust and flexibility,
so as to make utmost progress in the six-party talks, Yabunaka
said.
(Xinhua News Agency June 25, 2004)