Abe advisor completes secretive NK visit
Source: Agencies |
May 18, 2013, Saturday
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Print Edition
Print Edition
AN adviser to Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe ended a visit to North Korea yesterday but would not give details of his talks with leaders in Pyongyang.
Isao Iijima's three-day visit came amid a slight easing of tension on the Korean Peninsula after weeks of threats from the North aimed at Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.
Japan has not disclosed the purpose of Iijima's trip.
"I had serious and long hours of talks (with North Korean officials) during my visit," Iijima said after he arrived in Beijing. He would not give details about the talks.
"I will not speak to any media," he said. "I plan to inform the prime minister about my talks."
Japan is a participant in now-dormant six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, and its failure to inform its ally the US, or South Korea, about Iijima's visit beforehand raised eyebrows.
Glyn Davies, the top US envoy on North Korea, who visited South Korea, China and Japan this week, said earlier that he had hoped to learn more about Iijima's visit during his talks in Tokyo.
He made no comment to reporters yesterday, however, as he finished talks at Japan's Foreign Ministry.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday said cooperation among Japan, the US and South Korea is extremely important for resolving North Korean issues.
"We need to make effort in the future to ensure good communication among us," he said when asked about complaints from South Korea over Iijima's visit.
Isao Iijima's three-day visit came amid a slight easing of tension on the Korean Peninsula after weeks of threats from the North aimed at Washington, Seoul and Tokyo.
Japan has not disclosed the purpose of Iijima's trip.
"I had serious and long hours of talks (with North Korean officials) during my visit," Iijima said after he arrived in Beijing. He would not give details about the talks.
"I will not speak to any media," he said. "I plan to inform the prime minister about my talks."
Japan is a participant in now-dormant six-nation talks aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear weapons program, and its failure to inform its ally the US, or South Korea, about Iijima's visit beforehand raised eyebrows.
Glyn Davies, the top US envoy on North Korea, who visited South Korea, China and Japan this week, said earlier that he had hoped to learn more about Iijima's visit during his talks in Tokyo.
He made no comment to reporters yesterday, however, as he finished talks at Japan's Foreign Ministry.
Japanese Foreign Minister Fumio Kishida yesterday said cooperation among Japan, the US and South Korea is extremely important for resolving North Korean issues.
"We need to make effort in the future to ensure good communication among us," he said when asked about complaints from South Korea over Iijima's visit.
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