| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
| |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
| ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 |
advertisement | ||
Friday March 23, 10:49 AMJapan calls N. Korea's posture 'unconstructive'(Kyodo) _ Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso on Friday called North Korea's stance at the latest six-nation nuclear talks "unconstructive.""(The North Korean delegates) appeared to dwell too much on the issue of Banco Delta Asia," Aso told a news conference, referring to the release of frozen North Korea-linked funds from the Macao-based bank. Similarly, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki told a separate news conference it was regrettable the six nations were unable to engage in full-fledged discussions on denuclearization because of Pyongyang's insistence that the release of the frozen funds be completed first. Aso dismissed the adjournment of the multilateral talks without progress will immediately cloud prospects of meeting the implementation of an accord that spells out the initial steps for denuclearizing North Korea, reached Feb. 13., within 60 days. He said the talks can be resumed if "technical problems" in the money transfer are resolved and North Korea confirms the completion of the transfer, adding the current stalling is "within my anticipation." Shiozaki said, "As we have said many times before, the BDA issue is an issue of law enforcement and should not be something that affects the measures toward denuclearization as agreed to at the six-party talks." "It is our common understanding that of course the agreement must be implemented," the Japanese government's top spokesman said, adding Japan will continue to work with the United States, China and others involved in the talks to press North Korea to take concrete action to fulfill its promises. North Korea is refusing to sit at the negotiating table until it confirms the transfer of the funds. They had been frozen until earlier this week since 2005 by U.S. authorities on allegations that North Korea's accounts in the Macao bank were linked to illicit acts. Under the Feb. 13 accord, North Korea pledged to shut down and seal its Yongbyon nuclear complex and accept International Atomic Energy Agency inspectors within 60 days in return for energy aid equivalent to 50,000 tons of heavy fuel oil. |
|||
|
2005 Kyodo News © Established 1945. All Rights Reserved.
|