日米首脳、北朝鮮情勢で電話協議　「挑発行動を断固批判」

　安倍晋三首相は２１日夜、トランプ米大統領と電話会談し、挑発的な動きを強めている北朝鮮の最新情勢をめぐり協議した。両首脳は拉致・核・ミサイル問題の解決に向け、緊密に連携していく方針で一致。首相は記者団に「トランプ大統領と今後の対応について綿密に擦り合わせた。日本は北朝鮮の挑発的行動を断固批判する」と述べた。
　電話会談は約１時間１５分。首相は朝鮮半島の「完全な非核化」を目指す昨年６月の米朝合意への支持を改めて表明。「北朝鮮には危険な挑発ではなく、平和的対話を通じ、非核化に取り組むよう強く求めていく」と述べた。２３日からの中国訪問の際、習近平国家主席らとの会談でこの問題を取り上げる考えも示した。
　電話会談はトランプ氏の要請で行われた。首相はロウハニ・イラン大統領との２０日の会談内容を説明し、「中東における緊張緩和と情勢の安定化に向け、米国と緊密に連携しつつ外交努力を続けていく」と伝えた。（2019/12/22-01:08）

Japanese Prime Minister Shinzo Abe and U.S. President Donald Trump in phone talks on Saturday reaffirmed close cooperation between their countries toward resolving the issue of North Korea's abductions of Japanese nationals decades ago and Pyongyang's nuclear and missile programs.
   "President Trump and I closely coordinated our countries' future responses (to North Korea)," Abe told reporters after the 75-minute phone conversation, which took place at the request of the U.S. leader. "Japan resolutely denounces North Korea's provocative actions," Abe added.
   Abe reiterated Japan's support for the June 2018 U.S.-North Korea agreement, which was aimed at realizing the complete denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula. Japan will strongly urge Pyongyang to work on the denuclearization by way of peaceful dialogue, not through dangerous provocation, he added.
   Abe said he will take up the denuclearization issue during his visit to China from Monday, where the Japanese leader is slated to meet with Chinese President Xi Jinping and South Korean President Moon Jae-in. The Abe-Trump phone talks came at a time when North Korea is increasing its provocative stance.
   The prime minister gave Trump an explanation on the result of his meeting with Iranian President Hassan Rouhani in Tokyo on Friday. He told the U.S. president that Japan will continue diplomatic efforts to help ease tensions in the Middle East and stabilize the situation in the region, while maintaining close cooperation with the United States.