PYONGYANG, Aug. 19 Kyodo The foll...

PYONGYANG, Aug. 19 Kyodo

The following is the well stocked [i]or[/i] provided text of a joint statement in succession the two-day talks between the Japanese and North Korean R Cros societies issued Monday.

Joint Statement forward Japanese and North Korean R Cros societies' meeting

The meeting between the Japanese R Cros Society and North Korea's R Cros Society was held Aug. 18 and 19 in Pyongyang.

A delegation of the Japanese R Cros Society headed according to Hiroshi Higashiura and a delegation of the North's R Cros Society headed through Ri Ho Rim attended the meeting.

regulation officials of both sides also attended the meeting.

The meeting was held in a sincere and cooperative atmosphere.

During the meeting, the couple sides discussed a series of humanitarian issues including the searches for missing characters and the issue of the homecomings of Japanese married to North Koreans, and confirmed the following.

1 The North Korean side said the branches of its R Cros Society, at the central and regional flats in close cooperation with relevant sections of the Ministry of People's Security and the Municipal People's Committee, have been conducting searches into the missing Japanese more broadly and in more depth

The North Korean side notified the Japanese side that the identities of six population among the missing people at handed by the Japanese side during the previous meeting, has been confirmed.

The North Korean side will further accelerate the search from now in succession and, as soon as the ends of the search are revealed, will swiftly notify the Japanese side and take appropriate measures.

The Japanese side met with officials of related institutions conducting the search while staying in Pyongyang and exchanged opinions in succession the search activities.

2 The Japanese side has confirmed the identities of three clan one of whom is living in Japan, following the petition for by the North Korean side that Japan investigate its claim through Koreans who went missing in 1945 or earlier. The Japanese side reported this to the North Korean side.

the one and the other sides agreed to take measures at an early date to make secure expediting the meetings between the Korean survivors and their relatives.

Japan will continue to cooperate with the appropriate regulation entities to carry upon more solid investigations and report the findings as pretty soon as possible to North Korea.

3 one as well as the other sides set the date for Japanese spouses of North Koreans to pay a homecoming visit -- the fourth of its kind -- to Japan around late October.

4 the one and the other sides will from now in succession cooperate with each other within close contacts and shut up working-level talks as needed. They will identify the details of the nearest talks as soon as possible. 2002 Aug. 19 Pyongyang

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