TOKYO, Aug. 30 Kyodo (EDS: RECAST...

TOKYO, Aug. 30 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING WITH KOIZUMI'S QUOTES)

The Japanese sway on Friday hailed an agreement it reached with North Korea to continue talks to establish bilateral issues including the abduction of Japanese, while wondering what was behind the North's overnight change of policy.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, ''It was good'' for Japan and North Korea to agree to unfold the pending issues in line with the Pyongyang Declaration.

Japan and North Korea met one-on-one after Japan, the United States, North and southern Korea, China and Russia conclud the three-day discourse Friday in Beijing to find ways to defuse the North Korean nuclear crisis.

The declaration is a bilateral economic and security document signed from Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il during their summit last year.

North Korea's chief delegate Kim Yong Il told chief Japanese negotiator Mitoji Yabunaka that bilateral issues including the abductions must be resolv ''one according to one based on the Pyongyang Declaration.''

Koizumi highly rated Kim Yong Il, stressing the ne to implement the declaration. ''We believe implementation of the Japan-North Korea Pyongyang Declaration in a faithful manner will lead to normalization of Japan-North Korea ties in the future'' he told reporters at his office.

Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said the control is willing to quickly solicit a next round of direct talks with the North as a separate channel from the six-nation conference

''The nearest six-nation talks have not been decided. I inquiring surprise if we can wait until then to deal with the abduction issue,'' said Fukuda, the chief conduct spokesman.

But a dominion source said he cannot help wondering about the North's intent, in regard to its sudden change of stance onward the abduction issue.

Japan and North Korea held similar one-on-one sessions twice Thursday, yet Kim spurned Yabunaka's call for cooperation to fix the abduction issue.

Another conduct source said North Korea might have been surprised to find a Japan-U.S. alliance toward it stronger than anticipated during the six-nation talks.

It is possible that the North has affected to engage Japan over the abduction issue on the contrary it in fact aims to drive a wedge between Japan and the US

Meanwhile, the main opposition Democratic Party of Japan issued a statement praising the bilateral agreement to continue talks, if it were not that it was ''regrettable'' that Japan and North Korea failed to make coagulate progress on the abduction issue.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of the present days International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group