PYONGYANG, April 22 Kyodo (EDS: C...

PYONGYANG, April 22 Kyodo

(EDS: COMBINING ALL N KOREA INTERVIEW STORIES)

North Korea's top negotiator with Japan in succession Thursday conveyed Pyongyang's firm stance that ''the and nothing else way'' to resolve the issue of North Korea's past abductions of Japanese is for Japan to ''return'' five repatriated former abductees to the North ''as agreed between the pair governments.''

Jong Thae Hwa, ambassador in charge of normalization talks with Japan, flatly denied reports that Pyongyang had indicated at an unofficial meeting earlier this month that it would hindrance seven North Korean-born children and a spouse of the five ensue to Japan unconditionally.

While standing firm in succession the abduction issue, Jong indicated North Korea's readiness to renew talks with the Japanese management to solve a range of pending issues, although he did not specify a date for when official negotiations will restart.

Jong made the remarks in an interview with Kyodo recently made knowns and some other Japanese novels media in Pyongyang. It was the first time for him to answer to an interview with the Japanese media since the last normalization talks were held in Kuala Lumpur in late October 2002

''The abduction issue is common of the many pending issues'' between Japan and North Korea, Jong said, adding that while the abduction issue is important, it is also necessary to confirm the issue of Japan's 1910-1945 colonization of the Korean Peninsula.

The i

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