FM MEETS DELEGATIONS OF DPRK AND JAPAN

Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia /MONTSAME/ Last Friday, the Minister of Foreign Affairs L.Bold received Mr Son IL Ho, the Special Envoy for Normalization of Japan-DPRK relations and the Ambassador at the DPRK Foreign Affairs, who participated in intergovernmental official talks between the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and Japan ran November 15-16 in Ulaanbaatar. The Foreign Minister expressed his satisfaction with the intergovernmental talks between the DPRK and Japan held under auspices of the Mongolian President, and said Mongolia thanked these countries for backing an initiative of hosting the talks. Mongolia has an aspiration to develop the bilateral traditional and friendly relations and cooperation with N.Korea in international and regional levels, he said. In response, Mr Son expressed sincere thanks to the Mongolia's government for organizing the talks, considering it will help N.Korea and Japan to improve their ties and will bring the Mongolia-DPRK friendly relations and cooperation into a new level. The two sides agreed that the talks will significantly contribute to ensuring peace and security in Northeast Asia. ** ** ** The same day, the Foreign Minister met Mr Shinsuke Sugiyama, the Special Representative for the North Korea Policy and director-general of Asian and Oceania Affairs Bureau of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan, that led its delegation at the intergovernmental talks. Beginning this meeting, the Foreign Minister congratulated Mr Sugiyama on resuming of the Japan-DPRK intergovernmental talks. Mr Sugiyama sincerely thanked the government of Mongolia for hosing the talks, and then highlighted that it was big contribution of Mongolia to ensuring stability in Northeast Asia. He also underlined that Japan and Mongolia have an opportunity to cooperate in ensuring international and regional peace and security in frames of their relations and cooperation. The sides emphasized a great importance of high-level visits and measures for widening the bilateral strategic partnership and strengthening mutual understanding and trust of people. They affirmed the countries will continue their relations and cooperation. B.Khuder