Japan spokesman says to keep sanctions on N Korea

TOKYO, Nov 1 (Reuters) Japan will maintain its sanctions on North Korea despite Pyongyang's agreement to return to stalled six-party talks on the reclusive communist state's nuclear programme, Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki said today.

Shiozaki, the government's top spokesman, said North Korea must first commit itself to abandoning its nuclear programmes, as promised in a joint statement issued after a September 2005 round of the six-party talks.

''The most important thing is for North Korea to completely abandon nuclear development in accordance with the joint statement from September of last year,'' Shiozaki told a news conference.

''Until we know that they will keep that promise, we will just carry on with what we've decided to do,'' he said, referring to Japan's sanctions implemented following Pyongyang's October 9 nuclear test.

The Japanese punitive measures include a ban on imports and a prohibition on North Korean ships entering its ports.

Earlier, Japanese Foreign Minister Taro Aso was quoted as saying that it was too early to celebrate.

''It is truly welcome that the talks are set to be resumed soon, but we cannot just celebrate and say 'That's great','' Kyodo news agency quoted Aso as telling parliament.

The six-way talks include North and South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States.

Pyongyang said in a statement today carried by the official KCNA news agency that it would return to the talks.

REUTERS MS KP0904