DATE=10/21/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-240509
TITLE=JAPAN / NORTH KOREA KEDO (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=STEVE HERMAN
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT SAYS IT IS READY TO LIFT ITS
FREEZE ON FUNDING TO AN INTERNATIONAL PROJECT THAT IS DESIGNED
TO HELP NORTH KOREA BUILD LIGHT-WATER NUCLEAR REACTORS. TOKYO
SUSPENDED ITS FINANCIAL ASSISTANCE AFTER PYONGYANG, WITHOUT
WARNING, LAUNCHED A ROCKET WHICH FLEW OVER JAPAN. STEVE HERMAN
REPORTS FROM TOKYO THAT THE DECISION TO RESUME THE PAYMENTS
FACES POLITICAL DEBATE IN JAPAN.
TEXT: JAPAN HAD VOWED TO SUSPEND ITS ONE BILLION DOLLAR
CONTRIBUTION TO THE KOREAN PENINSULA ENERGY DEVELOPMENT
ORGANIZATION UNTIL PYONGYANG OFFERED AN EXPLANATION OF WHY IT
LAUNCHED THE ROCKET ON AUGUST 31ST.
FOREIGN MINISTRY SOURCES IN TOKYO SAY THE JAPANESE GOVERNMENT WAS
PRESSURED BY WASHINGTON AND SEOUL TO LIFT THE FREEZE QUICKLY, TO
HELP MAKE A SUCCESS OF THE FOUR-WAY TALKS UNDERWAY IN GENEVA ON
THE KOREAN PENINSULA . THE TALKS, INVOLVING THE UNITED STATES,
CHINA AND THE TWO KOREA'S, ARE SEEN AS THE BEST WAY OF EASING
TENSIONS ON THE PENINSULA, WHICH HAS BEEN DIVIDED SINCE 1945.
THE TOKYO GOVERNMENT'S DECISION COMES AMID CONTINUING ANGER AMONG
JAPANESE OVER THE ROCKET LAUNCH, FIRST BELIEVED TO BE A
BALLISTIC MISSILE TEST, WHICH PYONGYANG SAID WAS THE LAUNCH OF A
SATELLITE. NO MATTER WHAT IT WAS, THE JAPANESE SEE IT AS A
THREAT TO NATIONAL SECURITY BY A NEIGHBOR WITH WHICH JAPAN HAS
NO DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS.
OPPOSITION POLITICIANS IN PARLIAMENT ARE EXPECTED TO FIERCELY
ARGUE AGAINST APPROVING THE FUNDING FOR THE ORGANIZATION. THE
PROJECT IS VIEWED BY THE INTERNATIONAL COMMUNITY AS THE BEST WAY
TO KEEP NORTH KOREA FROM MAKING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. IT IS BELIEVED
THAT IF THE NUCLEAR ENERGY PROJECT FUNDING IS NOT IN PLACE,
NORTH KOREA WILL NOT BE WILLING TO NEGOTIATE OTHER MATTERS AT
THE GENEVA TALKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/ SH/GC/FC
21-Oct-98 7:01 AM EDT (1101 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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