Six-party talks marked a step forward toward peaceful resolution -- Akahata editorial, August 30The six-way talks in Beijing to discuss North Korea's nuclear weapons development ended after confirming that the six nations will seek a phased solution to the problem through dialogue.
This has marked an important step toward solving North Korea's nuclear weapons issue peacefully and diplomatically. Bilateral talks between the United States and North Korea also took place in parallel with the six-way talks.
Japan and North Korea agreed to continue bilateral talks based on their Pyongyang Declaration (Sep. 2002), although their talks at this time did not achieve specific progress toward solving the abduction issue. The need is for the two countries to make every effort to resolve the nuclear weapons development issue and embark on a path of a negotiated settlement of the abduction issue and other problems pending between Japan and North Korea.
Negotiated solution possible
The six nations sat at the negotiating table and after discussions announced that they will continue talks. This can be taken as a positive result that demonstrated the international willingness to resolve North Korea's nuclear issue peacefully through negotiations.
Since North Korea announced that it will develop nuclear weapons alleging that the United States failed to comply with the "agreed framework" between the United States and North Korea, it has been demanding direct talks with the United States. The call has been rejected by the United States.
While the two countries were exchanging mutual condemnations instead of holding talks and the danger of military confrontation had been increasing, China arranged three-party talks in April with the United States and North Korea, followed by the latest meeting by six nations, with Japan, South Korea, and Russia taking part.
The agreement to continue the talks is not only a product of China's persistent efforts as an intermediary to bring the United States and North Korea to the negotiating table. The two countries were obliged to take into account international opinion calling for a negotiated peaceful resolution.
We are aware that there was a big gap in the latest talks between the United States and North Korea, the former demanding that North Korea verifiably and irreversibly abandon its development plan and North Korea still insisting on developing nuclear weapons and demanding that the United States withdraw its hostile policy toward North Korea and conclude a non-aggression treaty.
On the final day of the talks, North Korea's state news agency condemned the United States for endangering the hopes for the next talks.
Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Wang Yi at a news conference following the six-nation talks said that the talks confirmed that consideration must be given to North Korea's security and that the situation not be worsened any further.
It is reported that North Korea in the talks expressed its readiness to eliminate nuclear weapons step by step if the United States agrees to conclude a non-aggression treaty with North Korea. Also, the United States reportedly stated that it has no intention to attack North Korea. This shows that the negotiations are conducive to achieving agreements.
China's Vice Foreign Minister Wang stated at the closing session that if the countries concerned join efforts to continue they can find a path toward a peaceful solution in establishing a lasting peace on the Korean Peninsula. Now that the first step forward was taken toward a peaceful solution, whether or not it will bear fruit depends on efforts by every concerned party to meet international expectations.
North Korea's nuclear weapons development is a matter that affects the peace in Asia and throughout the world, not just the Korean Peninsula. It goes against the international goal of the elimination of nuclear weapons, and reneges on the international agreements which North Korea was party to.
North Korea has stated that its nuclear weapons development will serve as a deterrent protecting it. But true security of the country can only be achieved by dismantling its program and by abiding by the rules of the international community.
Japan-North Korea issues be solved peacefully
If North Korea wants to win the international trust, it must come to terms with its past lawless acts such as the abduction of Japanese nationals from Japan, along with the solution of the nuclear weapons issue.
Pending issues between Japan and North Korea, including the abduction case, need to be tenaciously negotiated for a settlement. The North Korean delegation stated that North Korea will make efforts to get these pending issues resolved step by step based on the 2002 Japan-DPRK Pyongyang Declaration.
The need now is for both countries to make a steady advance toward the peaceful solution of the matter, while opposing any attempts to block multilateral/bilateral dialogues. (end)