（/Д＼）イヤン英字新聞
Maintain intl coalition against North Korea
It is important to keep pressure on North Korea not only at the six-way talks, but at every other opportunity to make the country abandon all of its nuclear programs and activities.
The chairman's statement of the Group of Eight foreign ministers meeting held in Kyoto states, "We urge North Korea...to abandon all nuclear weapons and existing nuclear programs as well as ballistic missile programs."
In the statement, the foreign ministers of Japan, Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Russia and the United States also urge Pyongyang to "fully cooperate" in verifying its declaration of its nuclear programs and activities, and demand that North Korea take prompt action to resolve the issue of the abduction of Japanese nationals by its agents.
Foreign Minister Masahiko Komura stressed at the meeting that what matters is the content of North Korea's declaration, and that establishment of an effective verification mechanism is urgently needed. He also asked his counterparts to help Japan resolve the abduction issue since it is a humanitarian and human rights issue. Komura's request was quite reasonable.
Japan is directly exposed to threats of North Korea's nuclear weapons and missiles, and the abductions were state crimes committed by Pyongyang against the Japanese people.
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PM must adjust G-8 opinions
Following Pyongyang's declaration, Washington has started procedures to remove North Korea from its list of states sponsoring terrorism.
Japan should ask European countries and the other members of the international community to understand the nuclear threat that North Korea poses to Japan, and it should try to prevent the international coalition against North Korea from loosening any more.
The next meeting of the six-way talks expected to be held soon will be an opportunity to demand that North Korea allow inspectors to enter its nuclear facilities and interview relevant people. Tokyo must also urge Pyongyang to reinvestigate the abduction issue as soon as possible.
At the G-8 summit to start in Toyakocho, Hokkaido, on July 7, leaders of the major countries need to transmit a strong message demanding that North Korea resolve the nuclear, abduction and missile issues in a comprehensive manner. As chairman of the G-8 summit, Prime Minister Yasuo Fukuda is expected to coordinate the opinions of G-8 leaders with great tact.
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Iran seen as greater threat
Meanwhile, Iran's nuclear development program poses serious proliferation risks.
Negotiations aimed at preventing Iran from possessing nuclear arms have entered an important phase. European countries are concerned more with Iran's nuclear program than North Korea's because of their geographical proximity to the Islamic country.
The five permanent members of the U.N. Security Council with Germany proposed that Tehran suspend its uranium enrichment activities in return for the provision of light-water nuclear reactors. But Iran has not yet given a clear reply to the proposal.
Iran is developing ballistic missiles with the assistance of North Korea. Their cooperative relations are suspected of involving nuclear materials and nuclear technology.
The European Union this week decided to impose additional economic sanctions on Iran. Japan, which is diplomatically well connected with Tehran, should work harder to assist with the development of the negotiations.
