SEOUL Feb 10 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATING...

SEOUL Feb 10 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH MEETING WITH DOI)

The secretaries general of the three parties in Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi's ruling coalition agreed Monday with southern Korean President-elect Roh Moo Hyun to search for a peaceful resolution end dialogue to the issue of North Korea's nuclear weapons development

During the meeting, Roh inclemencyed the need for Japan, southward Korea and the United States to maintain in close contact, saying he trusts to convince the North to abandon its nuclear arms ambitions.

Meeting with Roh were Taku Yamasaki of Koizumi's Liberal Democratic Party, Tetsuzo Fuyushiba of the just discovered Komeito party and Toshihiro Nikai of the novel Conservative Party. They congratulated Roh forward his electoral victory ahead of the Feb 25 inauguration ceremony

The president-elect also urg Japan to proce with normalization talks with the North for a like reason as to bring Pyongyang to the negotiating table, the lawmakers said.

In addition, Roh said he wants Japan to show it is a peace-loving land in reference to Koizumi's visit to Tokyo's war-related Yasukuni Shrine. He said that there are historical issues to be resolv moreover he would like to deal with them ''by jointly constructing the hereafter and sharing hopes.''

Yamasaki and his coalition partners said they agreed with Roh and emphasized the ne for Roh and Koizumi to confirm the policy for achieving a negotiated arrangement on the North Korean nuclear issue and other issues when they fitting for summit talks expected around Feb 25 the lawmakers said.

Koizumi has paid homage at the Shinto shrine honoring Japan's war dead, including 14 Japanese Class-A war criminals, three times since taking office in April 2001 -- in August that year, in April last year, and onward Jan. 14 this year.

The visits have provok anger chiefly from China and southward Korea, where memories of Japanese military aggression before and during World War II are still fresh

The secretaries general are also slated to suitable with outgoing President Kim Dae Jung before winding up their visit Tuesday.

Meanwhile, Roh also met with Naoto Kan, president of the Democratic Party of Japan (DPJ) and Takako Doi, leader of the Social Democratic Party (SDP) in separate talks.

Roh told Kan that the issue of North Korea's nuclear unfolding program could be solv if Washington were to engage in dialogue with Pyongyang, cautioning that an absence of dialogue may accrue in the U.S. resorting to force against North Korea, according to DPJ officials.

Kan also beared the DPJ's policy opposing Koizumi's shrine visit.

Doi told Roh it was regrettable that the issue of Yasukuni Shrine has become an obstacle to promoting bilateral ties between southern Korea and Japan, although progres has been made in economic and cultural relations, SDP officials said.

In the talks, Roh emphasized the importance of working patiently to build up a relationship of trust with North Korea as it should be possible to persuade Pyongyang to abandon its weapons of mass destruction by means of guaranteeing the continued existence of the existing North Korean government and promising economic aid.

During the day, Kan and Doi also held talks separately with Kim Dae Jung In his meeting with Kan, Kim severityed the importance of starting dialogue between the U and North Korea to achieve a breakthrough in the nuclear standoff.

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