Japanese Deputy Foreign Minister Hitoshi Tanaka, who was on a two-day visit in Seoul, held talks with his South Korean counterpart Lee Soo-hyuck on their assessment of last month's trilateral meeting on the nuclear standoff, which was attended by the United States, the DPRK and China in Beijing.

"The two sides exchanged their views on the nuclear issue ahead of President Roh's forthcoming visit to the United States," an official close to the South Korean Foreign Ministry was quoted by Yonhap as saying.

"The two senior diplomats reiterated their countries' stance that the DPRK should not be allowed to possess nuclear weapons, but the issue should be resolved peacefully," said the official.

South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun was scheduled to pay a seven-day working visit to the US beginning this Sunday and meet with US President George W. Bush on May 14. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi will also make a five-day trip to the US and hold talks with Bush on May 23.

The DPRK nuclear issue is expected to top the agenda of the two summit meetings.

Lee Soo-hyuck told Tanaka that Seoul viewed the Beijing meeting "positively" as it meant at least a start of dialogue on the nuclear issue and hoped such talks should continue regardless of its format.

He praised China for its positive role in the tripartite talks.

Tanaka stressed that Seoul and Tokyo should participate in future talks, and proposed that detailed discussions be held over the settlement of the nuclear standoff in working-level meetings with the US after Roh and Koizumi's visits to the US.

After the talks, Tanaka paid a courtesy call to South Korean Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan. Before concluding his two-day visit in Seoul, Tanaka will meet with South Korean National Security Advisor Ra Jong-yil on Saturday.

(Xinhua News Agency May 9, 2003)