'US Eyes Security Assurance for NK'
2003-09-08
Foreign Affairs-Trade Minister Yoon Young-kwan said on Monday (Sept. 8) the United States is contemplating proposals to address North Korea's security concerns and stop its nuclear program, which will be submitted during the next six-way meeting.
Talking to reporters one day after his Sept. 2-6 Washington visit, Yoon said he had high hopes for the next multilateral dialogue on the North Korean nuclear issue, as the U.S. had shown strong “commitment” to the talks which also involve South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
“In my meeting with President Bush, it was mentioned that the U.S. is positively considering ways to dispel North Korea's security worries, and will likely prepare something,” Yoon said. “I think the U.S. will probably go to the next round of talks with their own proposal.”
The foreign minister's words are in line with Washington officials' remarks last weekend that the U.S. is mulling inducements that Pyongyang may feel tempted to accept in return for abandoning its nuclear programs.
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell, who also met with visiting Yoon, said in an interview with ABC television Sunday that his country will have discussions with its allies over the next few weeks to decide what kind of security assurances would be appropriate.
“And we will have to make a judgment with our allies, over the next few weeks, before the next meeting, as to what kind of security assurance would be satisfactory for all of us to provide to the North Koreans so that they feel comfortable in taking this step,” Powell said.
Yoon visited the U.S. for follow-up discussions with Powell and other Washington officials, to exchange assessments of the six-way talks and to coordinate next steps on North Korea. He had an unscheduled 20-minute meeting with President Bush Wednesday.
North Korea said during the Aug. 27-29 talks in Beijing that it would give up the nukes if the U.S. signs a non-aggression pact and resumes oil shipments.
Powell said his country feels compelled to accept the North Koreans “at their words” and added he does not view the North as the greatest threat to global peace.
Condoleezza Rice, President Bush's national security advisor, said in a separate interview with the Fox television that she was very satisfied with the six-way talks, remarking they “took great form.”
The changed, “more flexible” mood in Washington was also mentioned by Yoon yesterday, who said he sought during his visit to further narrow the psychological gap across the Pacific on the North Korea issue.
From meetings with administration officials, congress people and scholars at think tanks in the U.S., the foreign minister said he has come to feel positive about the next six-way discussion.
“Although there were uncertain forecasts for next six-way talks ... I could feel the strong commitment the U.S. administration had to the multi-national diplomacy,” Yoon said, calling it the “biggest fruit.”
Yoon said he also notified the U.S. of South Korea's negative view on the scrapping of the KEDO (Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization) project altogether.
“Considering the huge financial investment that went into the project as well as the groundswell of public backing, South Korea opposes a termination of the project, and opts for a temporary suspension,” he said of the multinational project, building two nuclear power plants in the North.
Source : www.korea.net
