|
|
|
| Sunday, 25 September 2005 |
 |
|
 |
World |  |
| News Business Features Editorial
|
N.Korea dispute over Japan abductions resolved TOKYO, Sept 24 (AFP) - North Korea reiterated its view Friday that a dispute with Japan over the Cold War abduction of Japanese citizens by its agents had already been settled, a report said Friday quoting a Pyongyang official. The issue has been "fully resolved", Jong Thae-Hwa, a senior negotiator in past bilateral talks with Japan told reporters in Pyongyang, the Japanese news agency Kyodo reported. He said that with the exception of the ashes of one of the abducted citizens, the North would no longer cooperate in investigations and the provision of materials in relation to the kidnappings. North Korea admitted in 2002 that its agents kidnapped Japanese in the 1970s and 1980s to train North Korean spies in Japanese language and culture. Pyongyang broke off contacts with Japan on the issue after providing Tokyo last November with what it said were the ashes of one kidnap victim. DNA tests in Japan, however, concluded they belonged to a different person. Jong said North Korea had already done everything required of it in relation to the abductions, including interviews with relevant parties and the provision of materials to Japan. The North had already declared the issue settled after repatriating five kidnap victims along with their families following trips by Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi to Pyongyang in 2002 and 2004. The North said, to Japan's skepticism, that another eight kidnap victims were dead. Japan said Tuesday it would resume talks with North Korea which have been stalled for almost a year in a dispute over the kidnappings, a day after the North signed a deal to ease concerns about its nuclear program. Tokyo did not set a date for renewed talks to establish diplomatic relations. Japanese and North Korean delegates met this week on the sidelines of six-party talks in Beijing on the North's nuclear program and agreed in a joint statement to "take steps to normalize their relations". |
|
| News | Business | Features
| Editorial | Security
| Produced by Lake House |
