US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (R) welcomes Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura at the State Department in Washington, DC. The US and Japan expressed 'deep concern' over North Korea's withdrawal from talks on its nuclear arms program.(AFP Photo)

US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice (L), Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld (M) and Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura, attend a news conference in Washington, Feb. 19. The United States and Japan "share a concern" about the DPRK's nuclear issue, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at the news conference.

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior officials from the United States and Japan urged the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) on Saturday to resume six-party talks over the nuclear issue.

    The United States and Japan "share a concern" about the DPRK's nuclear issue, Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said at a news conference at the State Department after a "two plus two" talks with Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld and their Japanese counterparts, Japanese Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura and Defense Agency chief Yoshinori Ono.

    "The ministers and I urge North Korea to return to the six-party talks as the best way to end nuclear programs and the only way for North Korea to achieve better relations," Rice said.

    "The North Koreans are continuing to bring about their own isolation by not dealing with this problem. The international community has been concerned with this for quite a long time. It is really time for the North Koreans to take seriously that concern, return to the six-party talks and begin to address the international system's concern," she said.

    As to US-China relations, Rice said the United States hopes for cooperative relations with China and a peaceful solution of the Taiwan issue.

    The United States has said it is committed to the six-party talks even though the DPRK declared on Feb. 10 to withdraw from the talks "for an indefinite period."

    Three rounds of the six-party talks had been held to try to resolve the nuclear confrontation between the United States and the DPRK. The talks were stalled in June last year as the DPRK accused the United States of adopting a hostile policy towards Pyongyang. Enditem

US, Japan vow to strengthen security, defense cooperation

    WASHINGTON, Feb. 19 (Xinhuanet) -- Senior US and Japanese officials vowed on Saturday to strengthen security and defense cooperation, promising to intensify consultations on realignment of US force structure in Japan.

    "I can't think of a time when the relationship has been closer or more constructive," US Defense Secretary Donald H. Rumsfeld said at a news conference after talks he and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice held with their Japanese counterparts, Japanese Defense Agency chief Yoshinori Ono and Foreign Minister Nobutaka Machimura.

    A joint statement issued after the so-called "two plus two" talks described an "excellent state of cooperative relations" between the two countries "on a broad array of security, political,and economic issues."

    The officials "underscored the need to continue examining the roles, missions, and capabilities of Japan's Self Defense Forces and the US Armed Forces required to respond effectively to diversechallenges in a well-coordinated manner," the statement said.

    "The Ministers also emphasized the importance of enhancing interoperability between US and Japanese forces," it said.

    The officials discussed the planned realignment of the nearly 50,000 US forces in Japan, part of a global repositioning of US troops. "Both sides confirmed their commitment to maintaining deterrence and capabilities of US forces in Japan while reducing the burden on local communities," the statement said.

    The realignment was designed to allow the US forces to respond swiftly to threats in the Asian and Middle East region.

    The two sides listed the Taiwan issue as one of the "common strategic objectives" for the first time.

    In their statement, the officials said one of the common strategic objectives in Asia was to "develop a cooperative relationship with China, welcoming the country to play a responsible and constructive role regionally as well as globally."

    On the Taiwan issue, it says the common strategic objective was to "encourage the peaceful resolution of issues concerning the Taiwan Strait through dialogue." Enditem