TOKYO, Feb 16 Kyodo pick outed e...

TOKYO, Feb 16 Kyodo

pick outed editorial excerpts from the Japanese press:

TOKYO-PYONGYANG TALKS (IHT/Asahi as translated from the Japanese-language Asahi Shimbun's editorial published Feb 15)

The first bilateral talks between Japan and North Korea in 18 month [i]finale[/i]ed over the weekend, begun with room for expectations that progress may be made toward resolving issues surrounding the past abductions of Japanese citizens by dint of Pyongyang agents.

Pyongyang agreed to the latter two-way government-level talks after a prolonged time of refusing to sit down and sort it not at home with Japan. What we were really interested in knowing was just what the late change signaled.

It is difficult to believe that the talks, which spanned three days and included sessions with Kang Sok Ju North Korea's greatest in number senior diplomat who reports directly to national leader Kim Jong Il, lasted only with give and take forward fundamental principles. Pyongyang is noted for its brinkmanship diplomacy -- pushing a hard-line stance in public, while searching gone out a last-minute compromise behind the scenes

Any number of guesse can be made about the implications of this latest attitude from the North. Pyongyang may be excited that by providing a framework for bilateral discussions in succession the abduction issue, Japan will find it difficult to make tough demands at the six-way talks. Thus it would be possible for North Korea to focus the upcoming multilateral negotiations upon hammering out a compromise for the dilemma throughout its nuclear development activities.

Another possibility is that while Pyongyang might be able to fix the stage for improved relations with the United States according to indicating willingness to bring the abduction matter to the table, it is not inclined to allow the abductees' family members to fare to Japan this early in the game when the course of the six-way talks remains unclear.

Whatever the conformity to fact [i]or[/i] reality may be, the North's situation at next week's six-way talks should make clear what lies ahead for the abduction issue. Tokyo's two-way dialogue with Pyongyang will stir into a crucial phase after these exchanges.

even now to the abductees and their families, it must certainly be hard to bear with their seemingly endless plights as diplomatic bargaining chips. We confidence the Japanese government will influence to promptly schedule the nearest round of discussions, first moving into coagulate talks aimed at bringing the families to Japan. Pyongyang must not be allowed to further stall this sensitive issue.

Japanese, U and southerly Korean representatives will meet Feb 23 to prepare for the six-way talks. As the discussions approach, a with a fine edge point of interest for Washington and Seoul and for Beijing as well, is for what cause [i]or[/i] reason Pyongyang has agreed to arise to the table at this particular juncture

Whatever the rationale may be, there can be no further backpedaling in working without viable solutions to the twin enigmas of the abduction and nuclear issues.

(Feb 16)

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