Japan, U.S. stress coordination

TOKYO, June 20 (UPI) -- Japan and the United States stressed the need for closer coordination following the resumption of the six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear disarmament.

U.S. and Japanese chief negotiators at the talks, Christopher Hill and Akitaka Saiki, met in Tokyo along with their South Korean counterpart Kim Sook on the six-party effort.

The talks have stalled since North Korea failed to meet a December 2007 deadline on declaring its nuclear assets that will be acceptable to other members who include Russia and China.

Japan will work with the United States' effort to remove North Korea from its list of terrorism sponsors after the communist country submits in nuclear declaration, Kyodo news service reported.

In turn, Hill assured the United States remains interested in Japan's stand on the unresolved abductions of Japanese nationals by North Koreans, the report said. Japan wants North Korea kept on the U.S. list until its complaints are resolved.

The three delegates also agreed the stalled six-party nuclear talks have now reached a "very important stage" and need to be pushed forward, Kim was quoted as saying.

"The goal here is not just the declaration. The goal here is complete denuclearization," Hill said, adding, the "complete goal" is the "complete abandonment of all nuclear programs, nuclear weapons" and the return of North Korea to the Nuclear Non-proliferation Treaty and the International Atomic Energy Agency safeguards.

Hill was scheduled to travel to Beijing Friday.