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Japan resumes food aid to N Korea

Full diplomatic talks next month
TOKYO. Mar 7: Japan announced today it will send 100.000 tonnes’ of rice to starving North Korea for the first time in three years as a prelude to full-fledged diplomatic talks next month, reports AFP.
"Japan will provide food aid of 100.000 tonnes (rice) to North Korea through the World Food Programme for humanitarian reasons," Chief Cabinet Secretary Mikio Aoki told a news conference.
The decision was also made in the hope of encouraging North Korea to respond to the raft of problems in their relationship "with a view to the future." he said.
Japan and North Korea had reached agreement in principle through unofficial contacts to launch full talks on establishing diplomatic ties for the first time, the chief cabinet secretary said.
"As for negotiations on diplomatic relations between Japan and North Korea, full
talks will resume in the first half of April." Aoki told the news conference.
The two countries held a round of preparatory talks last December, aiming for the relaunch of rapprochement negotiations. Aoki said no further preliminary talks would be needed.
Instead, proper negotiations on setting up diplomatic ties would begin, he said, the first round to be held in Pyongyang, the next in Tok^o and then In Beijing or elsewhere.
"It is our belief that the resumption of full meetings on normalisation of diplomatic relations will not only help correct abnormal relations between Japan and North Korea and settle various problems through dialogue but also contribute to the easing of tension on the Korean peninsula and the security of our country." the chief cabinet secretary said.
The Japanese government last gave food aid to North Ko-
rea in 1997. when it provided 67.000 tonnes of rice worth 27 million dollars through the United Nations.
But Tokyo halted Its aid program to the Stalinist state after Pyongyang test-fired a ballistic missile which flew over Japanese territory In August 1998.
All remaining sanctions were lifted last December as Tokyo sought to improve relations with Pyongyang after North Korea announced a moratorium on Its missile
Japan planned to inform the North Koreans of the resumed food aid during a Red Cross meeting in Beijing on March 13. Aoki said. The food would be shipped "as soon as possible." he added.
The chief cabinet secretary declined to comment on the cost of the aid or about further 'shipments.