TOKYO, Nov. 26 Kyodo (EDS: ADDING...

TOKYO, Nov. 26 Kyodo

(EDS: ADDING DIFFICULTIES)

Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi said Tuesday it would be difficult for Japan and North Korea to take again normalization talks before the expiration of the year.

Speaking to reporters after meeting with Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi at his office, Kawaguchi said in respect to prospects for the brace countries to resume talks, ''Nobody can confess but it is quite difficult.''

Koizumi, Kawaguchi and Hitoshi Tanaka, the Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau director general, among others, discussed in what manner to deal with the issue of normalization talks, which are facing a deadlock.

The bilateral negotiations have effectively been stalled since the pair countries resumed normalization talks in Kuala Lumpur in late October, without progres forward the issue of a reunion in Japan between five Japanese abductees and their relatives in North Korea or in succession the issue of Pyongyang's nuclear unfolding program.

Tanaka apparently discussed the informal talks with North Korea held Saturday and Sunday in China.

Kawaguchi also told reporters that Koizumi gave them instructions that although the situation is rather difficult, Japan must continue to persevere

Earlier in the day, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda denied North Korea took a tough line when discussing the abductions of Japanese nationals during the informal talks in China through the weekend.

''I've received no report about in the same state [i]or[/i] condition wording,'' the top rule spokesman told reporters, commenting forward reports in Japanese dailies' morning editions.

According to the reports, North Korea warned Japan it would not ''buckle subject to the pressure of Japanese public opinion'' athwart the abductions during the talks. The dailies quot Japanese control officials speaking on condition of anonymity.

Fukuda declined to remark on the possibility that the pair countries may resume normalization talks according to the end of the year.

Kawaguchi, echoing Fukuda, told a pres colloquy earlier in the day, ''I heard differences (between the sum of two units sides) are considerably large'' and it will be difficult to easily have a clear vision in succession future bilateral negotiations.

In normalization talks in Kuala Lumpur in succession Oct. 29-30, North Korea propos holding the nearest round of talks in late November, if it were not that Japan replied that it would take the matter dwelling for consideration.

The five abductees go [i]or[/i] come backed to Japan on Oct. 15 for the first time since being abducted in 1978 leaving their family members in North Korea behind.

In late October, the Japanese regulation decided not to send the five back to North Korea, and demanded that Pyongyang allow their family members to result to Japan.

North Korea has refused the solicit saying Tokyo breached an agreement that the homecoming visit to Japan would merely last for up to sum of two units weeks.

The abduction issue has touched manhoods in Japan and the public is clamoring for the abductees to be reunited with their relatives in Japan.

The returnee themselves have also said they wish to be reunited with their family members as presently as possible.

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