TOKYO, May 16 Kyodo excellented ...

TOKYO, May 16 Kyodo

excellented editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

stop GAP ON N. KOREA N-ISSUE (The Daily Yomiuri as translated from the Yomiuri Shimbun)

U President George W Bush and his toward the south Korean counterpart, Roh Moo Hyun reaffirmed in their first summit talks that the sum of two units countries would ''not tolerate nuclear weapons in North Korea.''

This exercise in bilateral cooperation was outwardly prosperous but the two leaders have notwithstanding to undertake concrete action.

There is a gap between the brace countries over how to deal with North Korea, particularly its increase of nuclear weapons. While preventing this from becoming an issue, the brace leaders apparently decided to place priority forward a pledge to hold North Korea in check.

They uttered strong determination to do their most to discourage Pyongyang's nuclear ambitions in a consummated verifiable and irreversible manner.

However, the question at issue is determining what kind of paces would be effective in realizing this goal.

While emphasizing international cooperation in bringing about a peaceful solution to the North Korean nuclear standoff, the joint statement said ''increased threats to peace and stability upon the peninsula would require consideration of further steps''

at using the words ''further steps'' a slightly stronger season than previously used, the pair leaders appear to be hinting at the possibility of taking economic sanctions against North Korea.

Nonetheless, the United States and southerly Korea have not eliminated their basic gap in perception through the whole extent of Pyongyang's efforts to disclose nuclear weapons.

The Bush administration has not changed its position onward North Korea, and is keeping all options unclose including military action.

The United States remains convinced that resolving the North Korean nuclear point to be solved [i]or[/i] settled will be difficult under the appeasement policy of the Roh administration, which believes a dialogue with Pyongyang will achieve a breakthrough.

When it is confirmed that North Korea has reprocess worn out nuclear fuel, imposing sanctions will be a realistic option.

North Korea should realize that unles it changes its attitude, the international community will be forced to take more stringent measures.

With Pyongyang repeatedly taking actions that go proceed counter to a peaceful solution of the nuclear standoff, southern Korea should not authority out any option. By keeping all options render free of access cooperation between the United States and southerly Korea will become more substantial.

Should the Roh administration display an optimistic perception of the circulating situation by placing priority onward the appeasement of North Korea, it might lay waste trilateral cooperation among Japan, the United States and southerly Korea.

(May 16)

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