VARIOUS: Japan and South Korea welcome the resumption of the six party talks on December 18

Record ID: 491476

  • Title: VARIOUS: Japan and South Korea welcome the resumption of the six party talks on December 18
  • Date: 11th December 2006
  • Summary: (W2) SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (DECEMBER 11, 2006) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF FOREIGN MINISTRY BRIEFING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) SOUTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN CHOO KYU-HO SAYING: "(Our government) welcomes the resumption (of six-way talks) in Beijing from Monday, December 18, and we value the efforts by the six countries involved in the six-way talks to resume the talks and to prepare ways to implement September 11 joint communiqué." MORE OF BRIEFING
  • Embargoed: 26th December 2006 12:00
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  • Reuters ID: LVA36IV3254P7IKF2KJQ817S5GY9
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  • Story Text: Japan and South Korea welcomed the announcement on Monday (December 11) that the next round of six party talks to disarm North Korea would be held on December 18.
    Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe told reporters he looked forward to seeing concrete progress this time round.
    "I think it is a good thing that the six way talks have been set to resume. We need to move one step or even two towards the abolition of North Korea's nuclear weapons programme and all its nuclear programmes with this six way talks. We need to induce North Korea to act concretely in this measure," Abe told reporters shortly after China's foreign ministry announced the six party talks aimed at dismantling North Korea's nuclear programmes would resume on December 18.
    North Korea's Workers Party Newspaper however slammed Japan's position on the six way talks, saying Tokyo as a non-nuclear nation, should not participate in the talks, Japanese media reported on Monday. Media also reported that North Korea says Japan's insistence on resolving the 1970's abduction case of Japanese civilians by North Koreans is detrimental to the success of the planned six-party talks.
    Abe responded to this, saying it was North Korea that was out of line.
    "Japan is putting pressure on North Korea to change its attitude. North Korea needs to be aware that it needs to show that it is sincere in order to convince not only Japan but the whole international community," he said.
    Abe has taken a tough stance on North Korea after the communist state test-fired a barrage of missiles in July and conducted a nuclear test in October and that has been popular with the public at large.
    South Korea also welcomed Beijing's earlier announcement.
    North Korea, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia and the United States are participants in the six way talks.
    Sanctions imposed by Japan include a ban on all imports from North Korea and a ban on exports of luxury goods to the impoverished country.
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