[USFK Forums] Talks with North Korea scheduled [Asahi]

[C. Y. Lee]

Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Friday, December 23, 2005

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Talks with North Korea scheduled

12/22/2005

The Asahi Shimbun

Japan and North Korea will hold bilateral talks in Beijing this weekend concerning a number of problems, including unresolved cases of Japanese abducted by Pyongyang, officials said Wednesday.

The focus of the two-day talks will be Pyongyang's response to Tokyo's proposal in November to set up separate discussion groups for specific issues, such as the abductions, North Korea's nuclear and missile development programs, and "history issues."

"We will strongly request North Korea to take a sincere attitude toward the solution of the abduction issue," Chief Cabinet Secretary Shinzo Abe said. "We will also discuss a wide range of issues."

(IHT/Asahi: December 22,2005)