DPRK, Japanese FMs Meet for the 1st Time in 2 Years

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Thursday, August 01, 2002

DPRK, Japanese FMs Meet for the 1st Time in 2 Years

Foreign ministers of Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) met Wednesday for the first time in two years on the sidelines of a regional security forum.

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Foreign ministers of Japan and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) met Wednesday for the first time in two years on the sidelines of a regional security forum.

"Both sides shared the view that the DPRK and Japan would make serious efforts to solve various issues, including those concerning the settlement of the past, in order to realize the normalization of relations as early as possible, so as to improve the bilateral relations and to contribute to peace and stability of the region," said a joint communique released after the closed-door one-hour meeting.

DPRK Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and his Japanese counterpart Yoriko Kawaguchi agreed at the meeting that the "issue of concern on humanitarian affairs should be treated sincerely, and that this issue should be resolved as early as possible."

They also confirmed the importance of reducing tensions on the Korea Peninsula and agreed that it is necessary that dialogues should be promoted among countries concerned.

Both sides agreed to hold a Director-General-level meet in August to discuss issues concerning normalization of bilateral ties and to facilitate next round of the Japan-DPRK Red Cross Talks.

Analysts said the meeting is a significant step forward in the two nations' efforts to establish diplomatic ties, which stalled two years ago due to a series of serious conflicts.

The last meeting of foreign ministers from the two countries was between Paek and former Japanese Foreign Minister Yohei Kono in July 2000 in Bangkok, Thailand.

Both Paek and Kawaguchi are here attending the annual meetings of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations which groups Brunei,Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.

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