テロ支援国解除など焦点、１日からスイスで米朝作業部会

　【ジュネーブ＝坂元隆】北朝鮮の核問題をめぐる６か国協議の「米朝国交正常化」に関する作業部会が９月１、２の両日、スイスのジュネーブで開かれ、北朝鮮のテロ支援国指定の解除や敵国通商法の適用除外など、北朝鮮が米国に強く実施を求めている問題が話し合われる。

　日本人拉致問題も指定理由になっているテロ支援国指定をめぐり、米朝間でどのような調整が行われるかが焦点のひとつで、討議内容が、モンゴルのウランバートルで５、６の両日開かれる「日朝国交正常化」に関する作業部会にも大きな影響を及ぼすのは確実だ。

　日本政府は拉致問題で大きな進展がない限り、テロ支援国指定解除には反対すると表明しており、米国が解除に踏み切った場合、日本が６か国協議で孤立するのは避けられない。

最終更新:8月31日1時8分
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ジュネーブで米朝作業部会 米、拉致問題も提起の意向

　【ワシントン＝有元隆志】北朝鮮の核をめぐる６カ国協議のなかで米国と北朝鮮の関係正常化のための作業部会が９月１、２の両日、スイスのジュネーブで行われる。米代表のヒル国務次官補（東アジア・太平洋担当）は２９日、ワシントンで記者会見し、協議の主要議題となる北朝鮮のテロ支援国家からの指定解除について、拉致事件の解決を求める日本の立場に配慮する意向を示すととともに、非核化の進展が必要との認識を示した。

　米朝作業部会は核問題をめぐる６カ国協議の下に設置された５つの作業部会の１つで、３月にニューヨークで開かれた初会合以来、約半年ぶり。

　ヒル次官補は協議で、拉致事件を提起する意向を示したうえで、「日本との関係を強化するような方法で取り組みたい」と述べた。同時に、「指定解除のプロセスを続けるため、非核化でどれだけの進展が必要になるかについても話し合う」として、核放棄に向けた北朝鮮の対応を見極めたいとの考えを示した。

　そのうえで、「作業部会の目標は（米朝の）関係正常化にあるが、非核化がどの程度進むかにかかっている。核を保有した北朝鮮と（国交）正常化はできない」と強調した。拉致事件の解決が、指定解除の前提条件となるかに関して、「イエスともノーとも言えない」と明言を避けた。

(2007/08/30 19:15)

ジュネーブで米朝作業部会　米、拉致問題も提起の意向｜米国｜国際｜Sankei WEB

Tokyo mulls aid for N Korea flood victims

By David Pilling in Tokyo and Anna Fifield in Seoul

Published: August 29 2007 16:39 | Last updated: August 29 2007 16:39

Japan is considering sending aid to North Korea following devastating floods this month, in a sign that the government of Shinzo Abe, prime minister, may be prepared to soften its stance towards Pyongyang.

The move could help ease tensions between the long- time foes that have at times interfered with talks on North Korea’s nuclear weapons programme.

Nobutaka Machimura, Japan’s newly appointed foreign minister, was quoted in the Japanese press on Wednesday as saying Tokyo was prepared to consider a request from the United Nations to give aid to North Korea.

“Given the magnitude of the disaster, we should consider whether everything should be linked to the abduction issue,” he was reported as saying.

Japan suspended all humanitarian aid to North Korea in 2004, citing lack of progress on Tokyo’s demand that Pyongyang reveal the fate of Japanese citizens kidnapped by North Korea in the 1970s and 1980s.

“In some past instances. . . Japan extended emergency aid regardless of the recipient’s ideology and social system,” Mr Machi-mura said.

This month’s floods have left at least 600 North Koreans dead and 100,000 homeless, sparking a huge humanitarian appeal. South Korea is sending Won45bn ($47.8m) of aid direct to North Korea, while the US has given two humanitarian agencies $100,000 to buy blankets, shelter materials and water for flood victims.

Under Mr Abe, who came to power last September after pressing the abduction issue, Tokyo has pushed for stringent sanctions against Pyongyang and refused to participate in any economic support until there is progress on the issue.

Takao Toshikawa, a political analyst, said of Mr Machimura’s comments: “He might be indicating a shift in Japan’s North Korean policy.” The new foreign minister was a firm supporter of close relations with Washington, Mr Toshikawa said, and might be showing a greater willingness to support the US’s new efforts to deal with Pyongyang.

Japan’s sentiment was received positively by North Korea. Song Il-ho, the official in charge of talks with Japan, said he saw “some progress” in Japan’s attitude. The two sides are due to meet in Mongolia next week for bilateral talks on normalising relations, a side-discussion to the six-party nuclear talks.

Mr Song also acknowledged remarks by Mr Abe this week saying the two countries must resolve issues relating to Japan’s 1910-45 colonisation of the Korean peninsula, saying: “It was the first reference to the settlement of the past and I personally evaluate this in a good way.”

Many diplomats in Tokyo argue that Japan has painted itself into a corner with its uncompromising attitude over the abduction issue. The attitude has sometimes left Tokyo isolated at the six-party talks, and South Korea in particular has been lobbying Japan to put the issue aside while they seek broader gains.

Copyright The Financial Times Limited 2007

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