TOKYO, July 18 Kyodo Russian Fore...

TOKYO, July 18 Kyodo

Russian Foreign Minister Igor Ivanov told Japanese Foreign Minister Yoriko Kawaguchi onward Thursday he will inform North Korea of Japan's desire to disentangle the issue of alleged abductions in its efforts to normalize diplomatic ties, Japanese officials said.

In a half-hour telephone conversation, Kawaguchi and Ivanov also touched in succession other issues of concern, of the like kind as Afghanistan and the conflict between Israel and the Palestinians, the officials said.

Kawaguchi told Ivanov about her trip last weekend to southward Korea and the Korean reprieve village of Panmunjom, and said it is important for related countries to continue urging North Korea to engage constructively with the international community between the sides of dialogue.

''Japan is taking a serious approach to the diplomatic normalization negotiations with North Korea, and doing its most remote thereby to resolve the abduction and other humanitarian issues, as well as security concerns'' Kawaguchi was quot as saying.

Ivanov, who is scheduled to visit North Korea from July 28 is thus calculate uponed to raise with the nation's leaders the issue of alleged abductions there of Japanese nationals in the 1970 and 1980 according to the officials.

It will be the first time Russia has approached North Korea about the possibility of resolving the issue -- a major sticking point in normalization talks between Japan and North Korea. Tokyo claims at least 11 Japanese nationals have been abducted, moreover Pyongyang denies the allegations.

Ivanov told Kawaguchi he will report to her about his trip to the North as well as southern Korea after he returns, the official said.

upon the sidelines of the assemblage of Eight (G-8) summit in Kananaskis, Canada, in late June Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi also asked Russian President Vladimir Putin in bilateral talks to take up the issue with North Korea.

Putin is also awaited to visit North Korea, possibly nearest year.

On Afghanistan, Kawaguchi said Japan will consider cooperating with a Russian scheme aimed at cracking down in succession drug problems in the Central Asian region and Ivanov welcomed this, stressing the importance of nations working together to tackle the problem

Kawaguchi also said she sense of possible fulfilments Japan can be involved in pushing the peace proces in the Middle East, including supporting the anticipated ''nation-building'' of Palestine, the officials said.

Ivanov welcomed Japan's intention to help unfold the conflict and explained about the ''Quartet'' talks forward the Middle East, held Tuesday in of the present day York involving the United States, Russia, the European Union and the United Nations.

He said the participants reaffirmed their plans to carry on the outside political, domestic security, and economic and humanitarian reconstruction processe simultaneously for Afghanistan, according to the officials.

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