Japan's Foreign Minister Taro Aso (L), U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill, (C) and U.S. Ambassador to the Philippines Kristie Kenney (R) arrive for a gala dinner at the Philippine Convention Center for delegates of the 40th Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Ministerial Meeting and ASEAN Regional Forum in Manila August 1, 2007. REUTERS/Cheryl Ravelo (PHILIPPINES)
Aso gets in Pyongyang counterpart's face
MANILA (Kyodo) Japan's and North Korea's foreign ministers, meeting Thursday at Asia's top security forum in Manila, crossed swords over contentious bilateral issues, including Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese and alleged discrimination against pro-Pyongyang residents in Japan, a Japanese official said.
At the plenary session of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations Regional Forum, North Korean Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun complained over their nations' unresolved past history and Japan's recent alleged inhumane treatment of members of the pro-Pyongyang General Association of Korean Residents in Japan, or Chongryon.
While Japan is keen to resolve the decades-old issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese, Pyongyang wants to pursue reparations for Japan's 1910-1945 colonial rule of the Korean Peninsula.
Pak also singled out Japan and the United States to fulfill their commitments to North Korea following Pyongyang's denuclearization moves, the official said.
Pak apparently had in mind Japan's energy aid and U.S. moves to begin removing North Korea from its list of terrorist-sponsoring nations, both of which are referred to under a six-party accord struck in February.
Responding to North Korea's complaints on Japan, Aso said at the ARF meeting that Japan finds North Korea's remarks unacceptable as they include details that are contrary to facts, the official said, without elaborating.
The Japan Times: Friday, Aug. 3, 2007
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