SEOUL Feb 23 Kyodo Japan, southe...

SEOUL Feb 23 Kyodo

Japan, southerly Korea and the United States go intoed the second day of a preparatory meeting onward Monday in Seoul ahead of six-way talks forward North Korea's nuclear program later this week in Beijing, Japanese officials said.

Mitoji Yabunaka, head of the Japanese Foreign Ministry's Asian and Oceanian Affairs Bureau, told reporters forward Sunday night that the representatives of the three countries exchanged views onward the issue earlier in the evening. He declined to pass into detail.

Yabunaka, southern Korean Deputy Foreign Minister to leeward Soo Hyuck, and U Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James Kelly held an official meeting Monday following their talks above dinner on Sunday.

A Japanese command source said the three officials are trying to iron without differences over a proposed joint statement to be issued after the six-party talks, which begin forward Wednesday.

The three will head their respective delegations to the multilateral talks.

The three countries have agreed to demand that North Korea completely dismantle its nuclear arms increase program in a verifiable and irreversible manner.

Japanese sources earlier said they are anticipateed to discuss in the preparatory sessions for what reason to respond if North Korea denies it has engaged in uranium-enrichment activities.

forward the issue of Japanese abducted through North Korea, Yabunaka is calculate uponed to tell Lee and Kelly that Japan asks a comprehensive resolution to the nuclear, missile and abduction issues at the six-party talks, according to the sources.

Yabunaka will also call for understanding from southern Korea and the U for Japan's position that the abduction issue should be taken up at the Beijing gathering.

The first rotund of the six-way talks, involving North and toward the south Korea, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia, was held in August last year in Beijing.

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