South Korean and Japanese diplomats failed in narrowing differences on territorial dispute over the Dokdo islets after a 90-minute talks in Seoul on Friday.

"It is hard to say there was progress, as the two sides confirmed each other's position," a South Korean official told the Yonhap News following the meeting between South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and his Japanese counterpart Shotaro Yachi.

"It is difficult to be optimistic as there are problems to be overcome," the official said.

However, South Korea officials told the press that bilateral talks over the latest dispute will continue on Saturday when the two diplomats have dinner together in Seoul.

Yachi arrived in Seoul on Friday afternoon as an envoy to seek a breakthrough of the worsening dispute over Japan's maritime survey plan near the Dokdo islets.

A South Korean official told Yonhap earlier that Seoul agreed to meet with Japanese envoy with the precondition of Japan's promise to suspend the survey plan in disputed waters.

"We will try to find a diplomatic solution. Neither side wants a physical clash, through which both sides would have much to lose," Yu Myung-hwan told reporters ahead of Yachi's visit.

Japan announced last week to conduct a maritime survey in waters near the South Korea-controlled Dokdo islets, which Japan also claims sovereignty and called as "Takeshima", in the East Sea(Sea of Japan).

South Korea said the waters near Dokdo are part of its exclusive economic zone (EEZ). The South Korean government threatened to take all measures including using military forces against any "provocation" to the EEZ and urged Japan to scrap the plan.

Tensions were escalated on Wednesday when two maritime research ships of Japanese Coast Guard left for the waters near Dokdo.

In response to Japan's move, South Korea government deployed tens of heavily armed vessels around the Dokdo islets and express its stern stance against Japan's survey plan through diplomatic channels.

Japanese officials said Friday that the two Japanese research ships are now being berthed in a port near the disputed area due to bad weathers.

(Xinhua News Agency April 22, 2006)