The United States welcomes opportunities for its allies to begin dialogue with North Korea, President Joe Biden said Wednesday, amid Japan’s diplomatic outreach to Pyongyang to secure a bilateral summit.
Biden made the remarks during a press conference with Japanese Prime Minister Fumio Kishida, reiterating that Washington itself remains open to dialogue with Pyongyang “without any preconditions.”
“We welcome the opportunity for our allies to initiate dialogue with the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea,” Biden said, referring to the North by its official name. “I’ve said many times that we are open to dialogue ourselves at any time without preconditions.”
The president stressed that he has “faith” in Japan for reaching out to the North for diplomacy.
“I have faith in the prime minister,” he said. “I think seeking a dialogue with them is a good thing. It’s a positive thing.”
Kishida underlined his perspective that the establishment of a “meaningful” relationship between Japan and North Korea is “in th
e interest of both,” and that it could be “hugely beneficial” to regional peace and stability.
“My policy is to aim for a summit meeting with North Korea to resolve various issues and high-level consultations directly under my instruction, and that remains unchanged,” he said.
Kishida has been eyeing a summit with Kim to help address what his government called “outstanding” issues, including Japanese nationals abducted by the North decades ago.
The issue of those — abducted by Pyongyang in the 1970s and 1980s to train spies in Japanese culture and language — has been an abiding source of tension between the two countries.
Last month, North Korean Foreign Minister Choe Son-hui reiterated that her country has no intention to discuss the abduction issue with Japan, as she stressed the North has “nothing to resolve” and has “neither the responsibility nor the will to make any effort for it.”
Source: Yonhap News Agency