DPRK paper slams Japan for being negative about six-party talks

Rodong Sinmun, a leading newspaper of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) criticized Japan for its negative attitude in the six-party talks in a signed commentary published Monday.

The commentary noted that Japanese Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada said at a recent press conference that "it is difficult to expect an early resumption of the six-party talks," which "depends on the attitude" of the DPRK.

"This was nothing but rhetoric let loose by Okada, prompted by Japan's dastardly and sinister plot to derail the six-party talks at any cost in a bid to block the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and fish in troubled waters," the commentary said.

The commentary said the six-party talks are not such type of talks which are conducted "at the beck and call of Japan."

The talks are sure to be resumed if there are mature conditions for them, it said.

"The whole process of the six-party talks goes to prove that Japan was nothing but a trouble-maker and a bete noire at the talks," the commentary added.

The paper also reiterated DPRK's position that accusing the DPRK of attacking the South Korean warship "Cheonan" was an anti-DPRK plot faked by the United States and South Korea.

The 1,200-ton "Cheonan" with 104 crew members onboard sank on March 26 near the maritime border with the DPRK after an unexplained explosion. Only 58 sailors were rescued after the sinking.

A South Korea-led international investigation blamed the DPRK for sinking the warship "Cheonan" with a torpedo but the latter denied any involvement.

The commentary said Japan was making much fuss about the "Cheonan" case, warning that Japan had better properly know where it stands and stop poking its nose into irrelevant matters.

Source: Xinhua