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Japan welcomes next round of six-party talks

(Xinhua)
Updated: 2008-11-25 15:30

TOKYO -- Japanese Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone on Tuesday welcomed plans to hold the next round of six- party talks from December 8 in Beijing.

Japan's Foreign Minister Hirofumi Nakasone speaks during a news conference at San Carlos palace in Bogota November 21, 2008. [Agencies]

"Japan has no objection to that (schedule) and we think it's fine," Nakasone told reporters, adding that Japan's expectation is to put in writing a verbal agreement on verification methods, including the collection of samples, reached between the United States and Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK).

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Sunday the next round of six-way nuclear talks will be held December 8 in China.

The talks involving DPRK and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States have been stalled since the chief envoys last met in Beijing in July.

The second phase of the talks obliges DPRK to disable its nuclear facilities and declare all its nuclear programs. In the third phase, it must give up all its fissile material.

DPRK and the United States have been differing over the verification mechanism. DPRK official media on Monday repeated the country's rejection of sampling at its nuclear facilities to verify information, saying the October deal with the United States includes no content referring to this mechanism.