DATE=12/6/1999
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=JAPAN - NORTH KOREA AID (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-256867
BYLINE=TANYA CLARK
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: News reports in Japan say the Japanese
government is planning to lift sanctions it
imposed on North Korea last year. Tanya Clark
reports from Tokyo, the two countries also appear
likely to return to the negotiating table by the
end of this year, to discuss normalizing their
relations.
TEXT: Reports in the Japanese media suggest that
food aid to North Korea could resume as soon as
Tuesday. Prime Minister Keizo Obuchi told the
Kyodo News agency Japan will also consider
eventually lifting all sanctions against
Pyongyang.
The penalties were imposed after North Korea
launched a ballistic missile over Japan in August
last year. The United States also imposed trade
sanctions, but lifted them in September, after
receiving assurances Pyongyang would not test
another missile.
Tokyo's reported decision follows last week's
meetings in Pyongyang between a Japanese
parliamentary delegation and North Korean
officials, including Kim Yon-sun, secretary of
the ruling Korean Workers Party.
The talks were not official. But both
governments appear to have agreed this non-
official meeting was their best hope for re-
launching talks. The gambit appears to have
worked, with agreement reached to push both
governments to restart negotiations as soon as
possible. The mission returned to Japan last
Friday and Prime Minister Obuchi immediately
called on his Foreign Minister, Yohei Kono, to
find ways for Japan to re-launch formal talks
with North Korea.
The two nations could begin doing so before the
end of this year. But there are likely to be
further problems.
In 1992 - years before the missile launch --
discussions on formal diplomatic ties collapsed
over Japanese fears North Korea was kidnapping
Japanese citizens, to train spies. North Korea
vehemently denies the charges. But the two sides
agreed, during last week's meeting, that the two
countries' Red Cross bodies should begin
discussions on the kidnapping allegations.
Meanwhile, North Korea is demanding an apology and
reparations from Japan for its wartime occupation of
the Korean peninsula, as prerequisites for normalizing
ties. To date, Japan has refused.
NEB/TC/FC/gm
06-Dec-1999 03:11 AM EDT (06-Dec-1999 0811 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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