N. Korean leader wants improved ties with S. Korea, Japan, says Wen

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead paras to update with joint press conference; TRIMS)
By Byun Duk-kun
BEIJING, Oct. 10 (Yonhap) -- North Korean leader Kim Jong-il wants better ties
not only with Washington but also Seoul and Tokyo, Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao
said Saturday after his trip to Pyongyang earlier this week.
"North Korea not only wants improved ties with the United States, but also wishes
to improve ties with South Korea and Japan," Wen told a joint press conference
after a three-way summit with South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and Japanese
Prime Minister Yukio Hatoyama.
The Chinese premier visited the North Korean capital Sunday to Tuesday for the
stated purpose of commemorating the 60th anniversary of diplomatic relations. The
trip, however, drew deeper interest as an effort by Beijing, the chair of the
six-nation nuclear talks, to bring North Korea back to the negotiating table.
The six-party talks are attended by South and North Korea, the U.S., Japan, China
and Russia.
Pyongyang quit the denuclearization talks in April shortly after the United
Nations condemned its launch of a long-range rocket the North said was to put a
satellite into orbit. The launch was widely seen as a disguised missile test.
The North's leader was quoted as telling Wen that Pyongyang could return to the
six-nation forum, depending on the outcome of its expected bilateral talks with
Washington.
Wen said it was time for the countries to act to resume the nuclear negotiations
with North Korea because the North Korean leader was showing flexibility.
The South Korean president welcomed the North's wish to improve ties with its
neighbors but said the end goal of any dialogue with the communist nation must be
complete denuclearization of the North.
"South Korea is open to any dialogue, but the final goal of a meeting between the
South and the North is to make North Korea give up its nuclear ambitions," Lee
told the press conference.
He called on the five other participants of the six-party talks to quickly come
up with a package of incentives for the North for his proposed "grand bargain"
that aims to irreversibly dismantle the communist nation's key nuclear
capabilities in a single step, instead of in phases.
"Now is a good time for North Korea to give up its nuclear ambitions, and there
will good results if we can offer a proposal for a one-step solution of the
nuclear issue and conditions for such a deal," Lee told the press conference.
The leaders of South Korea, Japan and China reaffirmed their commitment to the
peaceful denuclearization of North Korea in a joint statement issued at the end
of their trilateral summit, which this year marked its 10th anniversary after
starting out as on the sidelines of an annual regional summit hosted by the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).
"We will remain committed to dialogue and consultation and continue to work
through peaceful means to pursue the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula,"
the statement said.
The three leaders agreed to boost their cooperation in other areas as well,
saying it will contribute to peace and stability not only in the region but
throughout the world.
"We will push the trilateral relations forward in the direction of
good-neighborliness, mutual trust, comprehensive cooperation, mutual benefit and
common development," said the joint statement.
"We are convinced that this will contribute to world peace, stability and
prosperity," it added.
In summit opening remarks, Lee said joint efforts by the three countries had a
"great impact" on the world, while the Japanese prime minister said his country
will work to build relationships with the two Asian neighbors that are as strong
as its alliance with the United States.
"I believe the Japan-U.S. alliance is important, but I also believe Japan, as an
Asian nation, must build a policy that places more importance on Asia," Hatoyama
said.
The leaders agreed to reinforce their cooperation at regional and international
meetings, such as ASEAN and the G-20 economic summit, which will help promote
their mutual interests in the international community and eventually lead to the
building of a joint community in their region.
"We will make full use of the high complementarities and great potential of the
three economies and bring to higher levels our cooperation in key areas such as
business, trade, finance, investment, logistics, intellectual property, customs,
information, science and technology, energy conservation, environmental
protection and circular economy," the statement said.
In a separate statement on sustainable development, the leaders also pledged
joint efforts to fight climate change, reaffirming their "shared vision and
responsibility for creating a peaceful, prosperous and sustainable future for the
region and international community."
They said the countries will work together "to contribute to the successful
achievement of the Copenhagen Conference, including the establishment of an
effective post-2012 international cooperation framework on climate change."
bdk@yna.co.kr
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