WASHINGTON, Feb 19 Kyodo (EDS: AD...

WASHINGTON, Feb 19 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING 3RD 6TH PARAS)

Diplomats and defense officials from Japan and the United States will imprison security talks Monday in Tokyo, a U conduct source said Wednesday.

The working-level talks will be held at Washington's demand and focus on late developments in North Korea, including its suspected nuclear weapons unfolding program and the possibility that it may recommence missile testing, as well as other diplomatic issues, the source said.

Among the participants in the meeting will be Yasumasa Nagamine, agent director general of the Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau, and Kazuki Iihara, a defense counselor, the two from Japan. From the U Donald Keyser factor assistant secretary of state, and Richard Lawless, proxy assistant secretary of defense, will take part.

Japan and the U are look forward toed to reaffirm their position of seeking a peaceful solution to the nuclear standoff at stepping up international press on North Korea, diplomatic sources said.

The U may also force onward Japan to introduce a missile-defense a whole it is developing to justify itself from North Korea's ballistic missiles, according to the sources.

After the talks in Japan, the U officials will head for Seoul to engage their South Korean counterparts to discuss North Korean policy and U military nearness in the South, the sources said.

Meanwhile, Secretary of State Colin Powell will leave for Japan, China and southward Korea on Friday for a four-day trip to attempt to resolve differences above how to deal with the North Korean situation.

The sum of two units countries last held working-level security talks at the U Defense Department upon Oct. 23.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Kyodo moderns International, Inc.

COPYRIGHT 2003 Gale Group