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Abe ‘fully supports’ Trump’s decision at N. Korea summit

Mar 02 (the-japan-news.com) - Prime Minister Shinzo Abe “fully” supports the decision by U.S. President Donald Trump to walk away from talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong Un in Vietnam, a move that resulted in the summit meeting ending abruptly Thursday without a deal.

Abe and Trump spoke for about 10 minutes by telephone Thursday evening while the U.S. president was returning to the United States. Trump briefed Abe on the developments of the second U.S.-North Korea summit.

Later that evening, Abe said to reporters at his official residence, “I fully support President Trump’s decision not to make concessions easily and, at the same time, to continue constructive talks to urge North Korea to take concrete steps [toward denuclearization].”

Abe and Trump reaffirmed they would continue cooperating closely. During Trump’s one-on-one talks with Kim on Wednesday, Trump raised the issue of Japanese citizens abducted by North Korea, and conveyed Abe’s views on the issue to Kim. Trump and Kim reportedly “seriously discussed” the abduction issue during a formal dinner that evening.

Abe also expressed determination to resolve the abduction issue through direct dialogue with Kim. “I am determined that I must be the next to deal with Chairman Kim,” Abe said.

During their talks over the telephone on February 20, Abe had asked Trump to raise the abduction issue during his meeting with Kim.

The Japanese government has applauded Trump for not coughing up easy concessions in the drive to denuclearize North Korea. The government plans to continue working closely with the United States as it works toward resolving the abduction issue.

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