China says North Korea wants better ties with the United States, Japan
and South Korea. Leaders from the three Asian countries met Saturday
in Beijing.
North Korea,
and its nuclear programs, topped the agenda during a summit in Beijing
that brought together Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao, South Korean
President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
Speaking
at a news conference following the meeting Saturday, the Chinese
premier spoke of his recent trip to North Korea, which ended a few days
ago.
Mr. Wen says the strongest impression he got from his three
days in Pyongyang was that North Korea not only hopes to improve
relations with the United States, but also hopes to have better ties
with South Korea and Japan.
North Korea's supreme leader Kim
Jong-il is reported to have told Mr. Wen that he would return to the
six party nuclear disarmament negotiations - but only if North Korea
has one-on-one talks with the United States.
Pyongyang pulled
out of the talks earlier this year. It also tested both a long-range
missile and a nuclear explosive, in violation of United Nations
sanctions.
A joint statement issued by China, Japan and South
Korea in Beijing Saturday said all three countries would make efforts
for an early resumption of the six party talks, which also include
North Korea, Russia and the United States.
On other issues, the
statement said the three countries remain committed to a long term goal
of realizing an "East Asian community," which would be a regional
grouping inspired by the European Union.
The three nations also
presented a united front on regional economic cooperation. Japan and
China are the world's second and third largest economies.
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