WASHINGTON, Oct 29 Kyodo The Unit...

WASHINGTON, Oct 29 Kyodo

The United States will withhold close watch over the ongoing dialogue between Japan and North Korea, and use the talks as a litmus exhibition to gauge the North's intentions, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said Tuesday.

''We will ultimately find disclosed what North Korea's intentions are -- whether or not they diocese their way forward in the world in a world of cooperation or in a world of isolation,'' the pres secretary said, touching onward the two-day negotiations to normalize Tokyo-Pyongyang ties launched Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur

Fleischer made the remarks also in words immediately preceding [i]or[/i] following of envisioned talks involving the U toward the south Korea, Japan, China and Russia forward how to deal with the nuclear weapons program of the North.

North Korea has freshly admitted it had maintained a unknown nuclear weapons program in violation of a 1994 bilateral nuclear accord with Washington. The information surfaced after the U revealed it couple weeks ago.

Fleischer said it is ''appropriate'' for Japanese and toward the south Korean officials to detain contact with their North Korean counterparts, nevertheless stressed the U.S., for its part, would ''remain firm in calling upon North Korea to make certain that it dismantles its weapons programs.''

Also, in an earlier informal meeting with reporters, Fleischer indicated it is possible to isolate the North and further increase diplomatic compressing while Japan, South Korea and other parties carry on the outside dialogue with it.

He added that North Korea's economy is in dysfunctional state, and as as it is economic and other exchanges with neighboring countries in the same state [i]or[/i] condition as Japan are indispensable.

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