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)