China's FM Wu meets Japanese FM Nakasone to discuss NKor nuclear issue
(10 Jul 2009) 1. Chinese Vice Foreign Minister and top nuclear envoy Wu Dawei (right) greeted by Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone 2. Cutaway of media 3. Various of meeting between Wu and Nakasone 4. SOUNDBITE: (Mandarin) Wu Dawei, China's top nuclear envoy: "We openly exchanged views on North Korean nuclear issue and the security situation in northeastern Asia, and reached some consensus. We are all of great support to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through consultation and dialogue in a peaceful way, and continue to maintain the framework of six-party talks and promote the process of the talks. At the same time, we believe there are some experiences and lessons to be learnt from the six-party talks, and we need to improve the effectiveness of the talks. We also agreed to maintain close contact and consultations." (Q: What needs to be improved?) "We mainly need to strengthen the binding force and improve the effectiveness of the six-party talks. The situation like 'signing an agreement today and breaking it tomorrow' should not happen again." (Q: What else about the five-party talks?) "It is still under discussion." 5. Various of Wu leaving by car STORYLINE: China's top nuclear envoy, Wu Dawei, on Friday met Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone to exchange views on the North Korean nuclear programme issue. It was the second day of Wu's visit to Tokyo. Japan and China have both agreed that North Korea's nuclear and missile development must be stopped and that both countries would fully support the UN Security Council's resolution to send a clear message to North Korea. Japan proposed holding five-party talks, minus North Korea, to discuss ways to get the six-party talks back on track. The six-party talks on North Korean nuclear ambitions involved the two Koreas, the US, Japan, China and Russia. Pyongyang in April quit the talks and vowed to restart its nuclear facilities to protest a UN statement condemning the firing of a long-range rocket it said was a satellite. "We are all of great support to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue through consultation and dialogues in a peaceful way, and continue to maintain the framework of six-party talks," Wu Dawei told the media. "Signing an agreement today and breaking it tomorrow, should not happen again," Wu said adding that the resumption of five-party talks was "still under discussion." North Korea has engaged in a series of acts this year widely seen as provocative. It launched seven ballistic missiles into waters off its east coast on Saturday in a show of military firepower that defied UN resolutions and drew international condemnation and concern. It also fired four short-range missiles on Thursday believed to be cruise missiles. The North Korean military also fired a rocket over Japan in April and has repeatedly threatened to reduce rival South Korea to ashes. In late May it carried out its second underground nuclear test following the first in late 2006. The UN Security Council last month adopted tougher new sanctions, which North Korea defied last week by conducting missile launches. Meanwhile, in a statement issued on Wednesday during a summit attended by the Group of Eight leaders, North Korea's actions were condemned as posing "danger to peace and stability in the region and beyond." The G-8 leaders urged North Korea to refrain from further violations of UN Security resolutions and to engage in dialogue, including the six-party talks. The statement also urged the reclusive nation to address concerns about humanitarian issues. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
