FM's US Visit Crucial to Resolving Nuke Row
2003-03-27
WASHINGTON -- Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Yoon Young-kwan is set to hold an array of crucial talks with top U.S. security policymakers over the weekend, mindful of the high expectations placed on his visit to play an important role in resolving the escalating standoff over North Korea's nuclear program.
Yoon's U.S. mission has also been attracting keen attention as it will largely determine the direction of the alliance between Seoul and Washington during President Roh Moo-hyun's five-year term.
“I will discuss with U.S. officials ways to solidify the bilateral alliance as it is the basis for the resolution of the North Korean nuclear issue,” the foreign minister said during a meeting with Korean journalists accompanying him on the U.S. visit.
He went on to say that he will focus on working out details for summit talks between Roh and U.S. President George W. Bush, which are tentatively slated for May.
Yoon plans to meet with U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell and National Security Advisor Condoleezza Rice, and pay a courtesy call on U.S. Vice President Dick Cheney Friday. He will meet Secretary of Defense Donald Rumsfeld on Saturday to discuss security issues including bilateral cooperation in U.S.-led war on Iraq, as well as the North Korean nuclear crisis.
Upon arrival in the U.S. capital Wednesday, the Korean delegation engaged in a “brainstorming session” with U.S. officials including Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly to coordinate North Korean policies.
Seoul has been seeking to defuse growing concerns that the U.S. might attempt to launch preemptive attacks on North Korea after the war in Iraq ends.
It is also set to call on the U.S. to postpone the realignment of U.S. forces stationed in South Korea until after the nuclear issue is resolved.
South Korea supports the U.S. position that multinational dialogue is the appropriate approach to addressing the North Korean nuclear standoff.
Yoon said South Korea will propose a new plan to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue. “We have been developing a scheme.”
North Korea has been insisting on direct talks with the U.S. regarding the nuclear issue, but the U.S. shows no signs of budging from its stance.
“We will talk with the U.S. on how to induce the North to participate in multinational talks as a means to realizing bilateral talks between the two sides. Within the multilateral setting, the North can directly talk with the U.S. and obtain what it wants including economic assistance and a guarantee of its survival,” he said.
Yoon was optimistic about arranging talks between the two sides, saying the U.S. side has been showing deep interest and warm hospitality in spite of the pressing need to address the war in Iraq.
Source : www.korea.net
