(* This is a provisional translation by "WIP ジャパン" for reference purpose only. The original text is in Japanese.)

Press Conference by Foreign Minister Taro Aso

Date: Tuesday, March 20, 2007, 9.13a.m.
Place: In front of the Cabinet Meeting Room in the House

Main topic:

Six-Party Talks

Question:
I believe that the Six-Party Talks and the financial sanctions are not directly related. But now the financial sanctions are completely to be lifted as North Korea is insisting they be. Do you think that North Korea now should show clearly concrete steps in the initial phase?

Minister:
Talk regarding the phrase 'financial sanctions' often becomes confused. It is about lifting the freeze on North Korea's B.D.A. (Banco Delta Asia S.A.R.L.) account, and, as such, is a matter for the Department of the Treasury. The freeze on the USD25 million was lifted, but besides that there has been no change whatsoever in the Department of the Treasury's other financial sanctions against the B.D.A. in regard to such things as financial transactions and foreign exchange. It is difficult dealing with a bank that cannot do foreign currency business or transactions. 'Lifting of all financial sanctions' is not really appropriate as a technical term. The United States says that returning the money that forms the assets is not its job any more, so has passed the task onto the government of Macao. What the Macao government will do remains to be seen.

Question:
With the freeze on the account having been lifted, is North Korea, having been informed of this, now bound to show concrete steps pf the actions in the initial phase?

Minister:
Yes, North Korea must do so. Under the situation that no progress is shown on the denuclearization and other issues, the United States says that it no longer has anything to do with the matter, and the State Department had nothing to do with it from the beginning. The Department of the Treasury has also completed its matter. So what remains is North Korea's legal violations which led to the fact that it has probably 'lost its wallet'.

Question:
Regarding the next actions to be taken, over what matters do you hope agreement will be reached with North Korea?

Minister:
As actions in the initial phase, the matter of letting in IAEA inspectors, etc., should be discussed further on the substantial points and the disabling of the Yongbyon facility should be targeted within 60 days. And next, dismantling of them from the 61st day. Of course, the issue of the stockpile of plutonium will then have to be addressed, and once a number of other tasks have been addressed, denuclearization of the Korean peninsula can then proceed.

Question:
Now that the North Korean bank account has been unfrozen, do you not see the North Koreans next insisting that Japan make concessions on the abductions issue?

Minister:
This is a matter between Japan and North Korea, and past experience shows that Japan has difficulty to resolve it on its own. For Japan's part, we can count on the support of the other four parties when the issue pursued in the process of the Six-Party Talks. It would make for significant pressure. The issue would then remain pursued in the process of the Six-Party Talks.

Question:
Do you think that the assent of the other four parties will continue to be held?

Minister:
Without a doubt. I have no doubts about how this will go between Japan and the United States, either.

Question:
From this the first day of the Six-Party Talks, does North Korea seem proactive about sealing and disabling the Yongbyon facility?

Minister:
Without a doubt, the Banco Delta Asia S.A.R.L. issue was the biggest obstacle in that sense, and from then I get the impression that discussions on denuclearization have been going smoothly so far.

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