Japanese FM meets with top US official on DPRK policy
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Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada met with the top US official on Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) policy on Saturday in Tokyo following the official's recent trip to Pyongyang aimed at persuading the country to return to the six-party talks.
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US special envoy for North Korea Stephen Bosworth (R) is greeted by Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada in Tokyo December 12, 2009. [Xinhua] |
Stephen Bosworth, who has stopped off in South Korea and China before heading to Japan, briefed to Okada the outcome of his visit to Pyongyang, during which the United States and the DPRK reached "common understandings" on the need to resume the stalled talks.
But Pyongyang gave no firm pledge to return to the multilateral talks on denuclearizing the country and urged the United States to agree to conclude a bilateral peace treaty.
During the meeting, Bosworth also told Okada that Pyongyang showed willingness to talk with Japan on abduction issue, which remains the core of bilateral relations between Japan and DPRK.
"He explained to me that North Korea (DPRK) showed a positive stance toward holding talks between Japan and North Korea, including on the abduction issue," Okada said.
But he added that this explanation seemed to be based on Bosworth's "impression", according to Kyodo News.
DPRK withdrew from the six-party talks and in May conducted a second nuclear test.
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US special envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth (R) meets Japan's Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada (L) at the latter's office in Tokyo December 12, 2009.[Xinhua] |
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