Japan: Six-party talks on North Korea a waste of time (DUH) - Japan STEPPING UP !

From Gertz, sub req, excerpted

Tokyo does not believe that the six-party talks with North Korea will produce a breakthrough or even pause in Pyongyang’s covert uranium-enrichment program, according to Asian diplomatic sources.
“Negotiations with North Korea are pointless,” said one source. “They can only parrot the official party line.”

North Korea walked away from the talks last year and has refused to return until the United States lifts Treasury Department restrictions on the Macao-based Banco Delta Asia, which was a main conduit for illegal North Korean government money transfers, arms sales and illegal currency counterfeiting.

The sources also said Beijing is not doing enough to help resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis. China does not support North Korea’s nuclear arms program but also harbors greater fears that the communist state will collapse, sending hundreds of thousands of refugees into northeastern China. Beijing fears that would lead to instability in an already volatile China.

Japan’s government under Junichiro Koizumi has shifted its stance in favor of Taiwan over the past several years for both political and economic reasons. Economically, Japan remains dependent on the free passage of oil shipments from the Middle East to Japan, with some 90 percent of its oil passing through the Taiwan Strait as part of the 6,000-mile route from the Middle East.

“Japan is so dependent on foreign energy resources that it cannot afford to see Taiwan become hostile,” a second source said.

Tokyo announced publicly for the first time that China’s takeover of Taiwan is a concern.
Japan’s government under Junichiro Koizumi has shifted its stance in favor of Taiwan over the past several years for both political and economic reasons. Economically, Japan remains dependent on the free passage of oil shipments from the Middle East to Japan, with some 90 percent of its oil passing through the Taiwan Strait as part of the 6,000-mile route from the Middle East.

“Japan is so dependent on foreign energy resources that it cannot afford to see Taiwan become hostile,” a second source said.

Tokyo announced publicly for the first time that China’s takeover of Taiwan is a concern.

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