Japan, South Korea end talks on economic zones without progress

Mar 5, 2007, 11:23 GMT

Tokyo - Japan and South Korea on Monday failed to reach common ground in negotiations on their conflicting claims to exclusive economic zones (EEZ) covering disputed islets, local media said.

'We had frank discussions on the EEZ between Japan and South Korea, and agreed to continue discussing the demarcation (of our EEZ),' said Ichiro Komatsu, director general of the Foreign Ministry's International Legal Affairs Bureau.

The two nations agreed to resume the talks sometime in the first half of this year in Seoul.

The Japanese chief negotiator said that Seoul kept a firm stance of not accepting Japan's proposal to give each other prior notice on marine research.

The dispute over the islets began heating up last April when Japan's coast guard announced its plan for a marine survey near the islets, called Takeshima in Japan and Dokdo in South Korea. Seoul protested against the survey.

The group of rocky islands, which is located in rich fishing grounds, has been a source of disputes between the two neighbours for years. South Korea claims the islets, which lie between the two countries, fall within its (EEZ), while Japan claims they are part of its territory.

The islets, currently under South Korean control, are believed to contain large deposits of natural gas.

The two countries last held the talks on the issue in September in Seoul.