Negotiators from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Japan held talks on normalizing bilateral ties in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia, on October 29-30.However, the talks ended without any substantial accord, except that the two sides agreed to set up a security forum this month to discuss, among other issues, long-range missile and nuclear weapons program.

"It was because the Japanese side insisted on discussing outstanding issues such as nuclear and abduction issues before taking up the issue of settling the past, the core problem for thenormalization of the bilateral relations, thus damaging confidencebetween the two parties to the talks," the spokesman said in an interview with the Korean Central News Agency (KCNA).

The DPRK has long demanded apology and compensation from Japan for its colonial rule over the Korean Peninsula from 1910-1945. Inthe Pyongyang Declaration signed by DPRK leader Kim Jong Il and visiting Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi on September 17,the Japanese side expressed apology for the historical facts and pledged to render economic assistance to the DPRK.

However, Tokyo rejected Pyongyang's request for addressing issues of normalizing diplomatic ties and economic assistance as top priority for the 12th normalization talks last month. Japan set the nuclear weapons program and abducted Japanese as the preconditions for the above two issues.

As far as the nuclear issue is concerned, Japan is in no position to guarantee DPRK's security challenged by the anti-DPRK policy and threat of "preemptive nuclear attack" from Washington, said the spokesman.

Washington alleged in mid-October that Pyongyang acknowledged its nuclear weapons program during US special envoy James Kelly's visit to Pyongyang in early October. It accused Pyongyang of violating an agreed framework on nuclear issues which was signed by the two sides in Geneva in 1994.

Under the agreement, the DPRK would stop its nuclear development program in return for two light water reactors provided by the United States.

Washington, along with Seoul and Tokyo, demanded Pyongyang to dismantle the nuclear program in an "immediate and verifiable way",while Pyongyang proposed an non-aggression treaty with Washington as a means to address its security concerns, a proposal flatly turned down by the US.

In the case of kidnapped Japanese, it is the Japanese side thatfirst broke its promise to send the home-visiting Japanese back tothe DPRK, thus damaging the mutual confidence, the spokesman added.

DPRK leader Kim Jong Il admitted to Koizumi that 13 Japanese were kidnapped by the DPRK during the 1970s and 80s. Five of them went back to Japan in mid-October for a fortnight-day visit, but the Japanese government refused to send them back and demanded Pyongyang to send their families to Japan to determine their future.

"If any party ceases to implement its commitment, it is impossible for the other party to continue to fulfill its commitments," the spokesman said.

The DPRK may reconsider the moratorium on the missile test-firein case the normalization talks make no further progress, he warned.

The DPRK side expressed its willingness to extend its moratorium on missile tests beyond 2003 in the Pyongyang Declaration.

(Xinhua News Agency November 6, 2002)