Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=5/7/05

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=ASEM / NORTH KOREA (S ONLY)

NUMBER=2-324477

BYLINE=JENNIFER JANIN

DATELINE=HONG KONG

CONTENT=

VOICED AT:

HEADLINE: Asia & Europe Ministers Urge North Korea to Return to Nuclear Talks Without Delay

INTRO: Foreign Ministers from Asia and Europe have wrapped up their two-day meeting in Japan, calling on North Korea to return to disarmament talks without delay. North Korea has boycotted talks for almost a year and is sparking concern that it may be preparing to conduct its first nuclear test. VOA's Jennifer Janin has the story from our Asia Bureau in Hong Kong

TEXT: North Korea's nuclear weapons program dominated the two-day meeting of Asia and European foreign ministers in Kyoto, Japan.

In a closing statement, the ministers strongly urged North Korea to make a strategic decision to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula and to return to negotiations without delay.

North Korea has boycotted talks with China, South Korea, Russia, Japan and the United States since June.

Friday, Japan hardened its stance, saying it will consider referring North Korea to the U.N. Security Council for action unless talks resume. Foreign Ministry Spokesman Hatsuhisa Takashima:

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".they have the Security Council in their minds, as well as five-party talks, six minus North Korea."

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North Korea is insisting on massive aid and specific security guarantees, before it will consider honoring its agreements to be nuclear free.

NEB/HK/JJ/RH