Koizumi wants N. Korea ties in 2 years.

(From The Korea Herald)

Yomiuri Shimbun Asia News Network Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said Tuesday he wanted diplomatic relations with North Korea to be normalized within about two years, before his term in office ends in September 2006. He made the remark in a joint interview with The Yomiuri Shimbun and other news organizations at the headquarters in Tokyo of the Liberal Democratic Party, of which he is president. When asked which policies were his top priority after the July 11 House of Councillors election, Koizumi said he would continue efforts to privatize the country's postal services - mail delivery, postal savings and kampo life insurance - and revise local government taxes. The prime minister also said he would do his utmost to normalize diplomatic relations with North Korea and conclude a peace treaty with Russia. Koizumi, who has visited Pyongyang twice in the past two years for summits with North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, said he wanted Japanese- North Korean relations normalized "within two years" - the first time he has mentioned a time frame.

He emphasized such a goal should be achievable if the two countries sincerely abide by the Pyongyang Declaration, which he signed with Kim Sept. 17, 2002. The joint document says abductions of Japanese will cease, the two countries will abide by all international agreements related to Pyongyang's nuclear programs and the moratorium on testing ballistic missiles will continue. Koizumi said the Iraqi situation and issues surrounding pension reform plans have had a negative impact on ...