Japan in rare talks with Cuba

HAVANA: Prime Minister Shinzo Abe, the first Japanese leader to visit Communist-ruled Cuba, called for a strong and unified international response to North Korea’s nuclear programme in rare talks with former Cuban leader Fidel Castro yesterday, a Japanese foreign ministry spokesman said.

Cuba is one of North Korea’s few diplomatic allies, along with China, and a fellow member of the non-aligned move- ment formed in 1961 by states wanting to avoid siding with the US or the Soviet Union.

North Korea has been testing nuclear weapons and ballistic missiles at an unprecedented rate this year and claims it has mastered the ability to mount a warhead on a ballistic missile.

Castro told Abe the issue of Pyongyang’s nuclear programme should be resolved peacefully through dialogue, Kawamura said. – Reuters