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South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi held two-hour summit meeting on Monday in Seoul, fully and deeply exchanging their views on history issue.
South Korea wants Koizumi to end his annual visits to the Yasukuni Shrine, where convicted war criminals are honored. Seoul is also furious over a Japanese history textbook that it says whitewashes Japan's wartime atrocities. And the two countries dispute the ownership of the rocky islets the Koreans call the Dokdos. What should have been a news conference was limited to "joint remarks."
South Korean President Roh Moo-hyun said, "Although we were both of the opinion that there was a need to make effort to understand each other, we were not able to reach an agreement on anything."
Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi said, "As for the issue of the past, we will reflect on the things that need reflecting upon as well as look to the future and discuss things directly, which is extremely important for building and strengthening trust and friendship between our two nations."
Japan agreed to "consider" building an alternative memorial for the Yasukuni Shrine honoring Japanese war dead, including the class A war criminals of the World War II, in consideration of the public opinion in Japan, according to Roh.
But Koizumi has shown little sign of stopping his Yasukuni visits, despite pressure from his own party.
The two countries agreed to launch a second joint research committee to investigate history concerning the two nations and establish a task force to develop joint school textbooks for use in the two neighboring countries.
"We had a very serious and frank discussions, and tried to reach consensus (on the history issue), but we failed to clinch concrete agreements in the meeting," said Roh.
However, the South Korean president said the two sides agreed to continue exchanges in order to realize peace in the Northeast Asia.
The Japanese prime minister said he "seriously and frankly" exchanged views with Roh over the "past, present and future of the Seoul-Tokyo ties."
"It is important for Japan to reflect on what it should do to achieve reconciliation between the two countries," he said. "I also told President Roh that Japan should not launch war ever again."
Koizumi said he hopes the two countries to enhance personnel, sports and culture exchanges in future.
On the nuclear issue on the Korean Peninsula, Roh told reporters that they agreed to strengthen cooperation on seeking a "peaceful and diplomatic solution" to the nuclear issue.
Koizumi said Japan hopes the six-party nuclear talks will be resumed as early as possible and South Korea, Japan and the United States will enhance coordination on the nuclear issue.
The Japanese premier also said "I hope the inter-Korean ministerial talks a success."
South Korea and the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) will resume ministerial-level meeting on Tuesday in Seoul.
Koizumi arrived in Seoul earlier Monday and will leave for home on Tuesday morning.
(Xinhua News Agency, CCTV.com June 21, 2005)
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