Japan Envoy Tells China "Premature to Hold 6-Way Talks": Source

Beijing, Dec. 1 (Jiji Press)--In talks with his Chinese
counterpart, Japan's chief negotiator on North Korean issues expressed the
view that it is premature to resume six-way talks at a time when a mood for
dialogue is yet to grow on the heels of North Korea's attack on a South
Korean island, a government source has said.
In the hastily-arranged meeting with Wu Dawei, Chinese special
representative on Korean Peninsula affairs, in Beijing Tuesday, Akitaka
Saiki, director-general of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and
Oceanian Affairs Bureau, said more conditions have to be met before resuming
the talks, according to the source in the ministry.
Japan will not engage in dialogue for dialogue, Saiki was quoted as
saying.
He was also quoted as saying that the environment is not ripe for
the meeting though Tokyo attaches importance to the six-party framework to
denuclearize North Korea, which involves Japan, China, Russia, the United
States and the two Koreas.
Wu replied that he was disappointed at Tokyo's rejection of
Beijing's proposal to hold the talks, and called on Japan to keeping making
its own effort toward the resumption of the talks, which have not been held
for about two years, according to the source.
Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Hong Rei stressed at a press
conference that the Chinese proposal is aimed at easing the tense Korean
Peninsula situation.
On top of Japan, the United States and South Korea oppose the idea
of resuming the six-party talks under the current circumstances.
END


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