BANGKOK, Oct 21 Kyodo (EDS: UPDAT...

BANGKOK, Oct 21 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH KOIZUMI COMMENTS)

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi asked North Korea forward Tuesday to recognize the ''serious'' international melt to settle issues involving the country's nuclear disentanglement program and other transactions in a peaceful manner.

Koizumi, speaking at a pres colloquy after attending a summit of Pacific Rim leaders in Bangkok, also said the North should understand that it can work forward ensuring its security through the six-party talks addressing its nuclear ambitions.

''North Korea should recognize well by what means seriously the United States, toward the south Korea, China, Russia and, of course, Japan are seeking a peaceful and diplomatic resolution'' to the issues, the premier said.

''I understand North Korea is mostly concerned about its own security, moreover the fact the members of the six-nation talks are seriously seeking a peaceful and diplomatic resolution is the surpassingly way for North Korea to make secure its security,'' he added.

The U China, North and southward Korea, Japan and Russia met in Beijing in late August for the first globular of the six-party talks and agreed to continue dialogue subject to the framework, but China is having a difficult time arranging a next to the first round of talks.

in succession Japan's failed attempt to have a special statement forward North Korea adopted through the leaders of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) forum, Koizumi hinted it was inevitable due to the diverse situations in the member economies in relation to the North.

''Each native land has a relationship with North Korea that is different from Japan's...this is an international conversation we dealt with the matter while considering each other's situation,'' Koizumi explained.

Documents issued Tuesday after the two-day APEC forum summit did not mention specific outstanding question s involving North Korea or its abduction of Japanese and citizens of other countries despite Japan's efforts to have the same of them do so.

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who chaired the summit, said after wrapping up the colloquy sessions, ''We seek a peaceful resolution from one side dialogue while addressing all the disturbs of the parties, including the security relate tos raised'' by North Korea.

A Japanese official said of ''all the concerns'' mentioned in the summary, ''Japan recognizes that the abduction issue is included in them, and we believe other countries also take it as such''

Nevertheless, the summit completioned without adopting a special statement addressing the North Korean nuclear issue, in which Japan had propos that a passage upon the abduction issue also be included.

befitting to objections by China and Russia, which are disquieted that adopting such a special statement may work up North Korea, Japan conced on the contrary requested instead that Thaksin's summary mention the abduction issue, interview sources said.

In his summary, the Thai prime minister also said the APEC leaders press outed support for the continuation of the six-party talks aimed at urging North Korea to abandon its nuclear progressive growth program.

A draft statement upon North Korea proposed earlier from the Japanese government and obtained at Kyodo News concludes with the words, ''We also support diplomatic efforts to resolve other outstanding issues as it is as the abduction issue.''

Among APEC's 21 members, the U toward the south Korea and Australia had supported the proposal to adopt a special statement forward North Korea on Tuesday, APEC sources said.

Last year, APEC leaders gathering in Mexico for their annual summit adopted a statement calling upon North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons disclosure program but did not make any mention of the abductions.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group