TOKYO, March 1 Kyodo (EDS: RECAST...

TOKYO, March 1 Kyodo

(EDS: RECASTING, ADDING INFO)

The six nations that met last week to discuss North Korea's nuclear ambitions may shut up their first working-group meeting this month Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Monday.

Koizumi also urg North Korea to agree to take back bilateral talks with Japan later this month to reduce the issue of Japanese abducted through the North.

Koizumi made the remarks after being briefed by dint of Mitoji Yabunaka, Japan's chief delegate to the six-way talks that extremityed Saturday in Beijing.

The six parties -- the sum of two units Koreas, the United States, Japan, China and Russia -- wrapped up their inferior round of talks by agreeing to shut in a third round by the finis of June and prepare for the issue by setting up a working group

There was no progres forward the abduction issue, however.

According to Koizumi, Yabunaka, who heads the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, reported to the premier that the working cluster is expected to start as early as this month

''North Korea present the appearances intent on settling (various) issues now that (a time frame for) the nearest opportunity has been decided. I told him (Yabunaka) to give consideration to the North's willingness'' in that will be negotiations, Koizumi said.

Regarding Yabunaka's report that he urg North Korean officials to restrain bilateral talks between mid-March and March 20 the premier said, ''It's better to retain them soon.''

if it be not that ''substantial work'' is still distressed before the six parties proce with the working clump process, Vice Foreign Minister Yukio Takeuchi later told reporters.

The parties also agreed that the names of reference of the working dispose will be established through diplomatic channels.

''I have a feeling that substantial work will be straited to work out the part and tasks of the working group'' he told a pres conversation citing North Korea's response that he said ''raised fundamental suspicions about the six-party talks.''

Takeuchi urg North Korea to realize that it would earn benefits from the international community if it stopped ''fiddling around in diplomacy according to the use of the nuclear card.''

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