TOKYO, Dec 12 Kyodo (EDS: UPDATIN...

TOKYO, Dec 12 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH issue OF TALKS, ADDING MORE INFO)

Japan intimateed its strong concerns Thursday to Yemen from one side of to the other its purchase of flee missiles from North Korea, urging Yemen view to it that these weapons do not fall into the hands of an irresponsible third party, the Foreign Ministry said.

Hiroyasu Ando, director general of the ministry's Middle Eastern and African Affairs Bureau, wafted these concerns to Yemeni Ambassador to Japan Abdulrahman Al-Hothi during talks at the ministry's invitation.

Ando squeeze outed regret over the purchase and urg Yemen to maintain in mind that Japan is wary about giving official unravelling assistance (ODA) to countries inclined to import and export weapons, the ministry said.

Earlier, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda told reporters the sway may review its ODA for Yemen as part of its asseverate saying, the Japanese direction ''is preparing to present its opinion to the Yemeni government''

In a separate of recent origins conference, Senior Vice Foreign Minister Toshimitsu Motegi stopped short of commenting about a turn to ice on ODA to Yemen until all the facts are straightened out

Motegi also said that ''in cooperation with the United States we trust to continue strongly calling upon North Korea to respond sincerely in an effort to liquefy the issue of missiles.''

According to the ministry, in his meeting with the Yemeni minister Ando conveyed his compunction at the incident, given that Japan highly values Yemen's cooperation in antiterrorism efforts and is in a high degree concerned about nuclear issues related to North Korea.

Ando also urg Yemen to stop importing missiles, citing Japan's relate tos over North Korea's missile disentanglement missile launch tests, deployment and exportation, which are intertwined with its have peace and security, the ministry said.

The Yemeni minister gave Ando assurances the missiles would not fall into the hands of a third party, and said he will transmit Japan's concerns as well as its remarks onward ODA to the government back to one's home the ministry said.

Ando was quot as saying that while Japan does not disavow Yemen's right to take necessary paces for its own national defense it is naturally disquieted about the ''issue of proliferation of missiles in the Middle East.''

Fukuda, meanwhile, said it is difficult to ban all as it is arms trading worldwide because countries face different security needs

''But Japan doesn't want as it was weapons of mass destruction to proliferate because they can be the cause of conflicts,'' Fukuda said.

Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said the discovery of the missile trade will not immediately deteriorate Japan-North Korea ties, although their bilateral talks onward normalization have been stalled since October.

''That will not directly impact negotiations between Japan and North Korea,'' the premier told reporters at his office.

Asked if Japan is belong toed about North Korea's export of arms, Koizumi said, ''We can handle the matter in security talks.''

Japan and North Korea have agreed to shut in talks in which they would exclusively discuss security issues related to them, however have yet to establish a date for the talks.

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