State Department Noon Briefing, October 3, 2000
STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING BRIEFER: PHILIP REEKER, DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM, WASHINGTON, D.C. 1:05 P.M. EDT TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2000 (ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED) Q: I understand the North Korea talks have ended and that there were some - my understanding is that there is going to be some kind of an announcement - more details of Vice Marshall Cho's visit are - have been - are known now. MR. REEKER: Right. Our comprehensive bilateral talks, which we discussed yesterday, which have been taking place in New York with North Korea on a broad range of issues, concluded last night - Monday night. I believe they went fairly late into the evening. Officials that were participating in those talks, I think are just now returning to Washington, so I don't have a great deal of information or details to go into the discussions other than that I was told the talks were very positive and that much of the time was spent discussing the upcoming visit of Vice Marshall Cho. And during that time obviously, in the visit next week, our discussions on key issues will continue. I think we have been through the facts of that visit, that the Secretary will host him, and that he will meet with the President during that time. He is expected to arrive in Washington October the 9th and begin the meetings the following day. Q: Will there be a statement later spelling out in detail - you usually have a statement at the end of such talks. You usually have a written -- MR. REEKER: I could expect - you mean from the New York talks? I don't anticipate at this point - I don't think - I don't believe we have had written statements. Q: You just said that they worked late, and they have - implying that you haven't had time to talk to them about the meeting, leaving the impression that once they have time you will talk with them and then say more than you are saying now. Unless there's -- MR. REEKER: If there is more, I will be happy to share with you. What was discussed in much of the time was the upcoming visit and arrangements for that visit. Q: But there were a lot of other issues that came up. MR. REEKER: And during that visit, there will be continuing discussions, additional discussions, on the key issues. So, at this point, I don't expect to have great details about our discussions in New York. What we are looking forward to now is the high-level visit next week, and obviously during the course of that we will keep you briefed. Q: Do you know if there is any progress on the terrorism issue? MR. REEKER: I just don't have anything to report specifically. Ambassador Sheehan, who was leading the terrorism segment of those talks in New York, was there. He is one of the officials that I am expecting back, if he is not already back in Washington today. Q: You may not have this, but when you say much of the time was spent discussing the visit, was that just yesterday much of the time or the whole - since last Wednesday? MR. REEKER: You will recall that we announced the visit on Friday, which was during the course of those talks, and so obviously the discussions about the visit were an aspect of the talks throughout. Q: So it wasn't just yesterday that there was much of the time spent -- MR. REEKER: No. Again, we announced the visit on Friday in conjunction with those talks that were going on in New York, and then we continued discussions in New York on the modalities of -- Q: I asked yesterday if some of the Korean delegation was going to come to Washington. I'm just wondering if - do you know if the Vice Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan - has he gone back to Pyongyang, or is he - are there North Koreans in Washington -- MR. REEKER: I don't have a detailed - I don't believe there are any North Koreans in Washington as we speak. But some coming at some point as we get closer to the visit is certainly something one could expect, but I just don't have any details on that. Q: Do you have something on the Senate approval -- MR. REEKER: Anything more on Korea before we move on? Q: Is there a tentative schedule for that visit yet? MR. REEKER: There isn't a tentative -- Q: (inaudible) MR. REEKER: Well, there is a tentative schedule in the sense that we expect him to arrive in Washington on October 9th and for the meetings to begin the next day, the 10th, and to go - he will be here through the 12th, I believe - until the 12th. Q: Do you know the place that the first official meeting will take place in? MR. REEKER: Washington. Q: But, no - nothing like the Blair House or anything like that? MR. REEKER: I don't. I don't have any of those kinds of details. Q: Do you know if he is staying at the Blair House? MR. REEKER: I don't believe that is the case, no. Q: Yes. Ambassador Kartman last night said the State Department would issue an announcement - some kind of announcement within this week. But you said you didn't expect - anticipate - any announcement? MR. REEKER: I guess I'm not clear on what you are talking about in terms of announcement. We certainly announced the trip, and we may have - certainly we will have more to say about the upcoming visit as the week goes on. In fact, I think we are trying to arrange some kind of a briefing for you all just to go over North Korea issues with some of you who haven't been following it as closely, before we have that high-level visit next week. So Tuesday is today; we still have a good part of the week left, and we will try to get more on that. (The briefing was concluded at 1:35 P.M.)
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