DATE=5/18/2000
TYPE=BACKGROUND REPORT
TITLE=JAPAN/NORTH KOREA RELATIONS (CQ)
NUMBER=5-46345
BYLINE=AMY BICKERS
DATELINE=TOKYO
CONTENT=
INTRO: North Korea has offered no explanation for its
decision Wednesday to delay negotiations with Japan on
the establishment of diplomatic ties. As we hear in
this background report from Amy Bickers in Tokyo, the
reasons for the postponement are not clear, but there
are reports of a deadlock on the same matters that led
to the dissolution of talks eight-years ago.
TEXT: Across Northeast Asia, attention is focused on
the planned landmark meeting to take place between
North and South Korea in mid-June. But in Japan, a
series of discussions with North Korea on thawing
decades of icy relations are on hold.
The two sides met last month for the first time since
talks broke up eight-years ago. Plans called for the
dialogue to continue next week in the Japanese
capital. But Wednesday, officials in Tokyo said
Pyongyang abruptly announced it would postpone the
bilateral talks.
Japanese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Ryuchiro Yamazaki
says Japan is eager to continue the dialogue with
North Korea.
/// YAMAZAKI ACT ///
The North Korean side has asked for a
postponement for the time being. The reason for
that is not quite clear for us, and we would
refrain from commenting in too much detail. As
we all know, they are preparing for the
important summit meeting with South Korea to be
held from the 12th to the 14th of June, and
obviously they must be very busy in preparing
for it.
/// END ACT ///
Some analysts say there are more complex reasons
behind the sudden postponement, and warn they are
unlikely to be easily resolved.
The President of the Organization for Humanitarian
Assistance to North Korea, Yasuhiko Yoshida, says the
issue of 10-Japanese allegedly abducted by North
Korean spies is behind North Korea's move.
/// JAPANESE UP AND UNDER ////
Mr. Yoshida says the North Korean government
says it has to think exclusively about its
relationships with South Korea and the United
States, and that therefore it cannot think about
anything else. He adds, that is their official
explanation, but it is not true. Mr. Yoshida
says the talks were postponed because North
Korea does not have any response to the fact
that 10-Japanese people were kidnapped.
/// END ACT ///
Japan says the alleged kidnappings took place in the
1970's and 1980's, so that North Korean spies could
learn about Japanese language, customs, and geography.
Pyongyang denies the abductions took place. It was
this same heated issue which broke off normalization
talks between the two countries in 1992. Pyongyang
walked out after eight negotiating rounds when Tokyo
pressed the issue.
Tensions between the two soared following North
Korea's launch of a multi-stage rocket over Japan in
August 1998. After that, the Japanese government
officially halted food aid and normalization talks.
Japan reopened the dialogue and restarted food
shipments to Pyongyang after North Korea promised
Washington last September that it would suspend
missile launches.
Japanese Foreign Ministry Spokesman Yamazaki remains
hopeful that his country and North Korea will be able
to schedule talks in the near future, once the much-
awaited summit meeting between North and South Korea
has taken place. He refused to comment on the issue
of the alleged kidnappings.
/// YAMAZAKI ACT ///
I have three key words as Japan holds these
normalization talks with North Korea - we have
to be patient, sincere, and persistent in laying
out our case and we look forward to face-to-face
dialogue with them.
/// END ACT ///
Other sticking points persist. Analysts agree the
negotiating process, once it is restarted, will be
filled with tension and opposing viewpoints on a
number of subjects.
One major dispute centers on North Korea's demands for
a legally binding, written apology and 10-billion
dollars in reparations for atrocities committed during
Japan's harsh colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
In the past, Japan has said it is sorry for colonial
times, but it has rejected Pyongyang's further
requests. Tokyo has not indicated that it will change
its position in the future.
After the two countries last round of talks in April,
North Korea's chief negotiator commented that the snow
has started to melt in bi-lateral relations. But most
analysts say that for Japan and North Korea, a warm
friendship is still a long way off. (SIGNED)
NEB/AB/FC/RAE/JP
18-May-2000 12:30 PM EDT (18-May-2000 1630 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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