Comments to Reporters Upon Departure at Narita Airport

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I’ll tell you in a few days. We think it'll be about three or four days. We know what we need to talk about. We need to talk about first-phase implementation. It's going to be very difficult. We see there's already a little negotiating going on in the media that the North Koreans are doing. That's not helpful. So we'll have to see how we do. But we'll try our best.

We're working very closely with the Japanese delegation. In fact, I look forward to seeing Mr. Sasae on the airplane. We’ll be going to Beijing together. So I think when the U.S. and Japan can work closely together, we can hope for some good things to happen.

OK?

QUESTION: About the abduction issue -- so, what can the United States give...?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Well, I've said before the Six-Party process should be a process where we can resolve a number of issues. Denuclearization is obviously the main issue, but there are some other issues. And with respect to abductions, it's an issue that we know the Japanese people feel very strongly about. And I must say, having been with President Bush when he met one of the families, he feels strongly about it. So let's see if we can deal with that, and I think the first phase of that would be a means by which North Korea and Japan could sit down and have a proper discussion about this. This is not an easy issue. It's a very difficult issue, and I know it's especially difficult for the families. But let's see [whether] as a first phase there could be some means, some mechanism created by which the two countries could talk about this.

OK? I'm getting cold, but you're getting very cold, I think. You should buy a winter coat. OK? We’ll see you later. Bye-bye.