Japan's top negotiator to the six-party talks Kenichiro Sasae said in Beijing Friday morning that today's talks would be an important opportunity for achieving progress.

 

Sasae hoped that North Korea would realize this point and make its judgment from an overall point of view.

 

Sasae told reporters in the hotel that Japan would continue its efforts to push forward the talks to achieve "certain progress."

 

The prospect of six-party talks may remain dim if North Korea would not change its strong position, Sasae noted.

 

All chief negotiators to the talks would meet again on Friday, according to Sasae.

 

The ongoing talks focus on the implementation of the joint statement reached in September 2005, under which North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid and security guarantee.

 

(Xinhua News Agency December 22, 2006)