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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Japan, China foreign ministers meet in Kyoto in bid to mend rift |
| 2005-05-07 |
| KYOTO, Japan (AP) - From violent anti-Japan protests in China to Tokyo's bid for a permanent U.N. Security Council seat, Japanese and Chinese foreign ministers had plenty to discuss Saturday as they met to try to mend a diplomatic rift. But the dispute - and long-standing rivalry for dominance in Asia - wasn't the only pressing concern for the two sides: North Korea appears to be pushing ahead with its nuclear programs. That issue could complicate the task of improving damaged relations for Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and China's Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, who began their meeting on the sidelines of a two-day Asia-Europe foreign ministers' conference in Japan's western city of Kyoto. Alarm over the North's unconfirmed claim that it possesses nuclear weapons has cast a shadow over the Asia-Europe gathering, known as ASEM. At a forum late Friday, nations agreed that Asia's peace and stability hinges on resolving the North Korea nuclear crisis, and called for an immediate and unconditional resumption of talks between the United States, Russia, China, Japan and the two Koreas aimed at preventing Pyongyang from building an atomic bomb. The declaration coincided with news Friday that U.S. spy satellites may have detected North Korea's preparations for a nuclear test and Tokyo's suggestion that it might ask the U.N. Security Council to address North Korea's nuclear ambitions next month. North Korea, wary of U.N. action, has said it would consider sanctions a "declaration of war." |
| Posted by:Mrs. Davis |