Gov't Hails NK's Readiness for Multilateral Talks
2003-05-27
The South Korean government is positively assessing North Korea's recent announcement that it will accept a multilateral format for talks on its nuclear weapons program once the United States agrees to directly talk with the reclusive nation.
“We see bright prospects for the issue since North Korea clarified its willingness to have multilateral dialogue after its envisioned bilateral talks with the United States,” Ra Jong-yil, senior advisor for national security, said.
“We positively evaluate the North's change of stance,” deputy presidential spokeswoman Lee Jie-hyun said.
South Korea, the U.S. and Japan are coordinating policies to forge a united front to address the North Korean nuclear issue.
Roh is also set to have summit talks with Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi June 7.
“There is no discrepancy between South Korea and Japan regarding how to handle the North Korean nuclear issue. We maintain the same stance that the nuclear standoff should be resolved peacefully,” Ra said during a meeting of Roh's advisors at Cheong Wa Dae.
Bush and Koizumi agreed on the need to include Seoul and Tokyo in multilateral talks during their recent summit meeting held at the U.S. presidential retreat of Crawford ranch.
Seoul has maintained that continuing dialogue momentum is more important than the format of the talks.
“Our position of not insisting on any particular dialogue format has not changed at all. But we will continue to coordinate policies with the U.S. and Japan to form a unified position,” an official at the Foreign Affairs-Trade Ministry said.
Senior officials of the three nations plan to get together after the Roh-Koizumi summit for a Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group session to map out joint steps for addressing the nuclear issue.
Source : www.korea.net
