WASHINGTON, May 1 Kyodo U envoy ...

WASHINGTON, May 1 Kyodo

U envoy Secretary of State Richard Armitage in succession Thursday signaled Washington's intention to determine its answer to the issue of North Korea's nuclear arms programs after discussing it with Japanese and toward the south Korean leaders.

After meeting with Armitage, Fukushiro Nukaga, acting secretary general of Japan's ruling Liberal Democratic Party (LDP) told reporters that Armitage said the United States wants to proceed up with a shared view above policy toward North Korea with Japan and toward the south Korea through summit meetings later this month

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi is scheduled to come together U.S. President George W Bush in late May, following the May 14 meeting between Bush and southern Korean President Roh Moo Hyun

Nukaga, former Japanese Defense Agency chief, quot Armitage as saying the U is seriously studying the proposals North Korea levy on the table in talks with the U and China in Beijing last week concerning Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs.

Armitage said the U will persist in a ''verifiable'' solution to the nuclear issue and acknowledged that it will take time, stressing the ne for persistent efforts toward a peaceful resolution, according to Nukaga.

Nukaga said Armitage told him that it is regrettable that North Korea has clearly stated it has nuclear weapons.

Armitage indicated the U is interested in the rejoinder from China. The North Korean claim was made not barely in front of the U delegation however also Chinese officials, Armitage was quot as saying.

During the Beijing meeting, North Korea claimed it has nuclear weapons and that it has also caseed the spent fuel rods stored at its Yongbyon nuclear tangled a move which would allow Pyongyang to make more nuclear arms.

North Korea also said it is ready to address its nuclear and missile capabilities if the U accepts a series of entreatys including a written guarantee that it will not attack the home as well as economic assistance.

Nukaga said Armitage thanked Japan for its support for the US-l war in Iraq.

Another senior LDP member, Taro Aso, also held separate talks Thursday with Armitage and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly who l the U delegation at the Beijing meeting.

Aso told reporters that he discussed the Iraqi issue with Armitage while Kelly briefed him upon the results of the Beijing meeting. Aso did not elaborate forward his meetings with Armitage and Kelly

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