Tanaka Sent to China for Unofficial Talks with DPRK

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Monday, November 25, 2002

Tanaka Sent to China for Unofficial Talks with DPRK

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The Japanese government sent Hitoshi Tanaka, director general of the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, to China on Saturday for unofficial talks with DPRK there, government sources said Sunday.

Returning to Japan on Sunday night, Tanaka told reporters at Narita airport that Pyongyang did not give a specific reply to questions about the abduction of Japanese nationals by DPRK which was proposed by the Japanese side.

On the prospect of a breakthrough in stalled negotiations on the abduction issues, Tanaka said "it is difficult" to resolve it and added, "The Japanese side cannot change its principles. We have to continue the talks tenaciously."

Tanaka and other Japanese officials who accompanied Tanaka contacted DPRK officials in places such as Dalian, northeastern China, the sources said.

Following the outcome of the unofficial talks with DPRK officials, the government is expected to decide what action it will take toward the normalization talks.

In normalization talks in Kuala Lumpur on Oct. 30, the two countries agreed to set up in November a panel in which senior working-level officials will discuss security issues including the North's missile and nuclear weapons programs.

The North also proposed holding the next round of normalization talks in late November, but Japan replied it would take the matter home to consider it.

Since then, Tokyo has continued to negotiate with Pyongyang through the embassies of the two countries in Beijing. Japan has also sounded out a proposal for holding a preparatory meeting at high-ranking official level, the sources said.

Tanaka's visit to China is believed to be aimed at finalizing schedules for upcoming meetings at an unofficial level.

Tokyo is now urging that Pyongyang send the families of five abductees currently on homecoming visits to Japan as a precondition for resuming the next round of normalization talks.

However, Pyongyang has not complied and threatened the normalization talks may be postponed indefinitely if Japan does not let the five return to North Korea.

Source: Agencies

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