Negotiators from North Korea and Japan met in Beijing yesterday afternoon to discuss the normalization of diplomatic ties, and abduction and security issues. The talks continued on Sunday morning.

 

The two sides started the discussions with a one-hour-plus plenary meeting of all delegates at a Beijing hotel, an official with the Japanese Embassy in Beijing told Xinhua News Agency on condition of anonymity.?

 

He said that the top priority for Japan in the talks is to try to make progress in the abduction issue.?

 

"It is difficult to discuss normalization of diplomatic ties with North Korea before the abduction issue is resolved," he said.?

 

Song Il-ho, North Korean ambassador in charge of North Korea-Japan talks, reportedly said that the key topic of the talks is on what Japan will do to make up for its past.

 

"I believe we will be discussing issues of our interests in an earnest manner," Song, also vice director of the Foreign Ministry's Asian Affairs Department, told reporters upon his arrival at Beijing's international airport yesterday.?

 

"The settlement of the past is an issue to which the whole world is paying attention," Song was quoted as saying. "We will take up this issue while assessing the level of preparation on the other side."?

 

The Japanese delegation is headed by Koichi Haraguchi, chief delegate for the normalization talks with North Korea.?

 

Media reports said that the current round of talks is expected to last about five days.?

 

Tadamichi Yamamoto, Japanese ambassador in charge of the Korean Peninsular nuclear issue, and Jong Thae-yang, deputy chief of the North Korean Foreign Ministry's US Affairs Department, will meet on Tuesday to discuss the nuclear and missile issue.

 

The last round of talks was held in Malaysia in 2002.?

 

A meeting was held in Beijing on last December 24 and 25, during which both sides agreed to set up three working groups to supervise history, security guarantee and abduction issues respectively.

 

(Xinhua News Agency February 5, 2006)