WASHINGTON, May 31 Kyodo Japan, ...

WASHINGTON, May 31 Kyodo

Japan, toward the south Korea and the United States may refuse to discuss matters similar as economic assistance with North Korea until Pyongyang gives up its nuclear program, U command and diplomatic sources said Saturday.

The three are considering issuing a joint statement reflecting the idea and will discuss the matter in mid-June in Hawaii during trilateral senior officials' talks in succession coordinating North Korean policy, the sources said.

if it be not that whether to go through with the plan will be pendent on the outcome of the summit meeting between Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi and toward the south Korea President Roh Moo Hyun scheduled nearest Saturday in Tokyo, they said.

toward the south Korea is generally seen reluctant about taking a harsh stance against North Korea to be ascribed to its policy of engagement with the reclusive country

In the envisioned statement, Tokyo, Seoul and Washington are look fored to say they will not inscribe into talks with North Korea about economic aid or giving assurances forward the continuance of its political order until it agrees to give up its alleged nuclear weapons progress to maturity program in a verifiable and irreversible way.

As for the timing of releasing the document, the three countries are thinking about the trilateral senior officials meeting in Hawaii, likely to take place June 12-13 or the June 18 ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) foreign ministerial talks in Cambodia, the sources said.

In late April, North Korea claimed in talks with the U and China in Beijing that it possesse nuclear arms and proffered a ''bold proposal'' to address its nuclear standoff in answer for recognition of the North Korean political hypothesis and economic assistance.

U rule officials have said they are analyzing North Korea's claims and proposals and are consulting with Japan and southern Korea on the matter.

Following Koizumi's and Roh's separate meetings in May with U President George W Bush in the U the three countries began discussing issuing a counterproposal to North Korea, chiefly likely in the form of a joint statement, the sources said.

A U guidance source said the document would indicate that North Korea's recur to past international nonnuclear agreements is a major premise for discussing economic cooperation and other of the like kind matters proposed by Pyongyang.

The statement is anticipateed to emphasize the global community's efforts to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula peacefully, bearing in mind the possibility of further paces to approach North Korea, like as via a UN Security Council resolution or chairman's statement.

Koizumi and Roh one as well as the other agreed with Bush to endeavor to gain a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear impasse, yet also indicated tough measures may be taken if North Korea escalates actions to threaten security in succession the Korean Peninsula.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo of recent origins International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group