The six parties for talks on Korean Peninsula nuclear issue are
discussing the formation of working groups, said a Japanese
delegation spokesman on Wednesday.
Given the difficulty of solving all problems within a week, it
is necessary to set up working groups "relatively separate within
the mechanism of six-party talks", said Noriyuki Shikata during an
exclusive interview with Xinhua.
The second phase of the fifth round of six-party talks also
involve China, North and South Korea, the US and Russia.
The talks in this phase are going on without "substantial
progress" yet, Shikata said.
The spokesman noted that great differences still exist among the
parties concerned, especially a wide gap between North Korea and
other parties.
"Japan still takes the six-party talks as an effective
mechanism, and all parties agree it is the best way to cope with
the nuclear issue within the framework." Shikata told Xinhua.
According to the spokesman, Japanese chief negotiator Kenichiro
Sasae had met with Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and Foreign
Minister Taro Aso before heading to Beijing for the nuclear
talks.
They discussed Japanese stances and principles, and mentioned
the nuclear, missile and abduction issues as the Japanese
government's top concerns, hoping the current talks could have "a
crucial step" toward the solution to those issues, Shikata
said.
During the ongoing talks, chief nuclear negotiators from North
Korea and the US on Tuesday held their first one-on-one
discussions.
"The Japanese side has no plan yet for a bilateral meeting with
North Korea," Shikata said, adding Japan's dialogue with North
Korea is always open.
As to the duration of the current talks, Shikata noted it would
be "open-ended" and depend on the progress made.
(Xinhua News Agency December 20, 2006)