Diplomacy

Okada Rebuffs Chinese Official on the Resumption of Six-Party Talks

Tuesday, August 31, 2010

Wu Dawei

Tokyo -- China's Special Representative on the Korean Peninsula Affairs Wu Dawei met with Foreign Minister Katsuya Okada today to discuss the possible resumption of the Six-Party Talks.

Wu, who recently visited North Korea, told Okada that Pyongyang desired to return to the process of political dialogue, and he added that the heightening of tensions on the Korean Peninsula are not desirable for the peace and stability of neighboring countries, as well as Northeast Asia as a whole.

Okada rebuffed the suggestion of restarting the Six-Party Talks by commenting that "North Korea itself created the current situation," apparently reflecting Tokyo's position that Pyongyang is responsible for the March sinking of the South Korean warship Cheonan.

Okada added that the resumption of the Six-Party Talks "is not the objective" and that it is important to have the prospect of North Korea's abandonment of nuclear weapons and missile programs.

Wu later met with Chief Cabinet Secretary Yoshito Sengoku at the Kantei.

The Six-Party Talks involve North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia, and the United States, but they have been suspended since December 2008.


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