Japan PM says abductions top priority for North Korea ties
Posted: 14 February 2007 1439 hrs

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TOKYO : Prime Minister Shinzo Abe admitted that resolving an abduction row was Japan's top priority in dealing with North Korea, one day after the communist state agreed to a breakthrough nuclear deal.

Abe has already refused to help fund the agreement under which North Korea would get an eventual one million tonnes of fuel oil in exchange for shutting down key nuclear facilities.

"The abduction issue is our top priority. We must resolve this problem through maintaining a policy of dialogue and pressure," Abe told a parliamentary committee.

"Without resolving the abduction issue, we can't say that all issues with North Korea -- which under the agreement would be discussed in a working group -- are settled," Abe said.

The nuclear deal reached in Beijing on Tuesday sets up a working group on relations between North Korea and Japan. The joint statement called for the two countries to hold dialogue to settle past issues and establish diplomatic ties.

North Korea admitted in 2002 that it had kidnapped Japanese civilians to train its spies in Japanese language and culture. It returned five victims and their families but Japan says more are being kept under wraps.

Japan has repeatedly raised the issue in the six-way forum, angering North Korea and irritating dialogue participants China and South Korea which say the focus should be the nuclear programme.

- AFP