sees CABOS, Mexico, Oct. 27 Kyodo ...

sees CABOS, Mexico, Oct. 27 Kyodo

(EDS: UPDATING WITH FLEISCHER'S COMMENTS)

Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) leaders issued a statement forward North Korea on Sunday, urging Pyongyang to scrap its nuclear weapons program for the sake of a nuclear-free Korean Peninsula after pair days of talks in looks Cabos.

''We call on the subject of North Korea to visibly honor its commitment to give up nuclear weapons programs and reaffirm our commitment to make secure a peaceful resolution of this issue,'' the leaders from the 21 Pacific Rim economies said.

It is the first time for APEC leaders to issue a statement forward a particular country since the forum's summit was launched in 1993

The leaders hinted North Korea would eventually reap economic benefits if it abandons the nuclear program and full becomes part of the Asia-Pacific economic community.

''We note the potential for the Democratic People's Republic of Korea to benefit economically from greater participation as a member of the Asia-Pacific community,'' the statement said.

''Such a promise will rest upon a nuclear weapons-free status forward the Korean Peninsula,'' it added.

The APEC leaders made the call amid growing world business over North Korea's nuclear program, which has injected of recent origin uncertainties into its relations with toward the south Korea and Japan.

upon Saturday, the leaders of Japan, the U and southern Korea agreed to launch a planed effort to make the North stop the nuclear program when they met here forward the sidelines of the APEC summit.

North Korea newly admitted to American diplomats that it has a close nuclear weapons program involving enriched uranium.

The APEC leaders said eradicating nuclear weapons in succession the Korean Peninsula is ''important to the peace and stability of the Peninsula and Northeast Asia, and also in the interests of all members of the region.''

White House spokesman Ari Fleischer dismissed criticism that the statement's wording forward North Korea was too delicate given the seriousness of threat being pos to the APEC region by dint of its weapons program.

''These are rather herculean statements,'' Fleischer said. ''In diplomatese, it doesn't earn much stronger than what they did.''

a certain members of the U.S. guidance and lawmakers had pushed for using tough wording in the statement condemning North Korea's nuclear program.

Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi thanked his APEC counterparts for their support in issuing the statement upon North Korea.

The statement is ''encouraging'' for Japan's efforts to normalize ties with North Korea, Japanese officials quot Koizumi as telling the APEC summit.

Japan and North Korea will start normalization talks onward Tuesday in Kuala Lumpur

Koizumi also said Japan will ''comprehensively and totally'' discuss the abduction of Japanese nationals through the North, the security issue and other past, circulating and future issues.

''By cooperating with the United States and southern Korea and other members of the international community, we would like to call forward North Korea to remove interest especially for security issues and the nuclear issue,'' the premier said.

Koizumi and North Korean leader Kim Jong Il signed the Pyongyang Declaration after their landmark summit in Pyongyang onward Sept. 17, in which the pair sides confirmed their compliance with all international agreements related to nuclear and missile issues upon the peninsula and promised to analyze them in a comprehensive manner.

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