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Doubts over Japan-N Korea talks Doubts over Japan-N Korea talks
(about 7 hours later)
North Korea has delayed the afternoon session of talks with Japan on normalising strained relations, raising doubts about their chances. North Korea cancelled the afternoon session of the first day of talks with Japan on normalising relations, raising doubts about the chances of success.
The North gave no reason for pulling out, and it was not clear if talks scheduled for Thursday were affected. The Pyongyang delegation gave no reason for pulling out, but Japanese officials said they objected to Tokyo's position on the difficult issue of abductions.
The two sides are split by Pyongyang's abductions of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s to help train its spies. Tokyo wants the North to resolve the issue of its abduction of Japanese in the 70s and 80s, to help train spies.
Japan's chief envoy Koichi Haraguchi has said normalising ties would not be possible until the issue is resolved. Japanese officials said the second day of talks would go ahead.
The two sides held talks in the morning, but the North Koreans then gave notice that the talks due to start at 1500 local time (0800GMT) would not take place on time. Tokyo's chief envoy Koichi Haraguchi said late on Wednesday: "We will meet at the North Korean embassy tomorrow morning at 10 to discuss the abductions issue and normal diplomatic relations."
Wartime atonement
Japanese officials said the talks came to a standstill after Mr Haraguchi set out Japan's position on the abduction issue at the opening session.
"In the morning talks, we explained in detail our position on the abduction issue. North Korea opposed this and the talks in the afternoon have not been held," a delegation source said.
JAPAN'S MISSING Snatched in the '70s and '80sUsed as cultural trainers for N Korean spiesFive allowed home in 2002Five children now freed from N KoreaEight said to be dead, others missing Abductees cloud talks Heartbreak over missingJAPAN'S MISSING Snatched in the '70s and '80sUsed as cultural trainers for N Korean spiesFive allowed home in 2002Five children now freed from N KoreaEight said to be dead, others missing Abductees cloud talks Heartbreak over missing
A spokesman at the Japanese Embassy in Hanoi told the BBC that it was not clear whether the talks had been postponed or cancelled. A North Korean embassy official, quoted by the AFP news agency, said: "We cannot disclose the reason now. May be we will explain it later".
The abduction row had long threatened to dominate in the Japan-North Korea discussions.
"Normalization [of ties] is impossible unless the abduction issue is resolved," Koichi Haraguchi told the Associated Press before the talks.
"We'll convey that message to the other side and urge them to fully face the problem and take positive steps."
Pyongyang admitted in 2002 that it had abducted 13 Japanese citizens to train its spies. It returned five of them, but insists the others are dead. Tokyo doubts this and has demanded proof.
Because of the kidnapping row, Japan has so far refused to fund any part of the fuel aid in a recently agreed six-party deal aimed at ending North Korea's nuclear programme.
The two sides had agreed that Wednesday's talks would focus on the abduction issue.
On Thursday they are due to discuss what for North Korea is its main priority at the talks - a request for Japan to atone for its 1910-1945 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.
Japan has yet to formally apologise to North Korea for its often brutal wartime actions, because of the lack of diplomatic ties between the two countries.
Nuclear dealNuclear deal
Wednesday's bilateral meetings, taking place in Hanoi, were part of a deal agreed during six-party talks in Beijing last month. Wednesday's bilateral meetings were part of the deal agreed during six-party talks in Beijing last month.
Under the deal, Pyongyang agreed to "shut down and seal" a key nuclear facility and admit UN nuclear inspectors in return for 50,000 tonnes of fuel oil.Under the deal, Pyongyang agreed to "shut down and seal" a key nuclear facility and admit UN nuclear inspectors in return for 50,000 tonnes of fuel oil.
Mr Hill was optimistic about US-N Korea talks
Another bilateral meeting - between the US and North Korea - ended on Tuesday in New York, with US chief negotiator Christopher Hill voicing a "sense of optimism" that Pyongyang would stick to its commitments under the six-party deal.Another bilateral meeting - between the US and North Korea - ended on Tuesday in New York, with US chief negotiator Christopher Hill voicing a "sense of optimism" that Pyongyang would stick to its commitments under the six-party deal.
"They were good, businesslike and very comprehensive discussions," Mr Hill told reporters."They were good, businesslike and very comprehensive discussions," Mr Hill told reporters.
Despite Japan's reservations about the six-nation deal, Japanese government spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki said he welcomed the progress of the US-North Korea talks.Despite Japan's reservations about the six-nation deal, Japanese government spokesman Yasuhisa Shiozaki said he welcomed the progress of the US-North Korea talks.
"It is a good thing that the United States and North Korea are talking," he said. "We heard that they referred to the abduction issue and spent a certain amount of time on the issue.""It is a good thing that the United States and North Korea are talking," he said. "We heard that they referred to the abduction issue and spent a certain amount of time on the issue."
Wartime atonement
The abduction row has long threatened to dominate in the Japan-North Korea discussions.
"Normalization [of ties] is impossible unless the abduction issue is resolved," Japan's chief envoy to the talks, Koichi Haraguchi, told the Associated Press.
Mr Hill was optimistic about US-N Korea talks"We'll convey that message to the other side and urge them to fully face the problem and take positive steps."
Pyongyang admitted in 2002 that it had abducted 13 Japanese citizens to train its spies. It returned five of them, but insists the others are dead. Tokyo doubts this and has demanded proof.
Because of the kidnapping row, Japan has so far refused to fund any part of the fuel aid agreed under the six-party deal.
The two sides had agreed that Wednesday's talks would focus on the abduction issue.
On Thursday they are due to discuss what for North Korea is its main priority at the talks - a request for Japan to atone for its 1910-1945 colonisation of the Korean peninsula.
Japan has yet to formally apologise to North Korea for its often brutal wartime actions, because of the lack of diplomatic ties between the two countries.