ROK, US, Japan Agree on Peaceful Settlement of Nuke Issue
2003-02-26
South Korea, the United States and Japan agreed to settle the North Korean nuclear issue in a peaceful manner through dialogue, on Tuesday (Feb. 25).
President Roh Moo-hyun came to the agreement with visiting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who came here to attend his presidential inauguration.
Roh started the first day as the nation's head of state with a flurry of diplomatic activities, including meetings with congratulatory envoys from abroad.
Roh focused meetings with Koizumi and Powell on the crucial issue of North Korea's bid to develop nuclear weapons as the U.S. and Japan have been making key roles in addressing the nuclear issue.
"Roh underlined that the North Korean nuclear issue should be settled down peacefully and diplomatically, while asking the U.S. and Japan to use all possible means toward that end," according to a Cheong Wa Dae official.
Roh also stressed South Korea will continue to play an active role in resolving the nuclear issue and appealed for cooperation from the related nations, a Cheong Wa Dae official said.
In his meetings with the Chinese and Russian delegations, Roh called on the two nations to exert more active role in mediating the North Korean nuclear issue.
Roh said he appreciated Russia's diplomatic efforts to help ease lingering tension on the Korean peninsula.
The North Korean nuclear issue was referred to the United Nations Security Council after the International Atomic Energy Agency reported to the body that the North had failed to comply with its international nuclear commitments to the world body.
After meeting Koizumi and Powell, Roh also met with other foreign envoys, including Chinese Vice Prime Minister Qian Qichen, Russian Federation Council speaker Sergei Mironov and Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Alexander Losyukov, to discuss issues of mutual interests, such as North Korea's nuclear weapons program.
Roh will meet on Wednesday with Australian Foreign Minister Alexander Downer, Greek Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Toasos Yiannitsis, former Japanese Prime Ministers Yasuhiro Nakasone and Yoshiro Mori and former German President Richard von Weizsacker.
Source : www.korea.net
