Allies Discuss Step-by-Step Proposal to NK
2003-10-01
Senior officials from South Korea, the United States and Japan in Tokyo on Tuesday (Sept. 31) engaged in in-depth discussions on their joint strategy for the next round of six-way talks to resolve the North Korean nuclear crisis.
At the end of two days of informal talks, Deputy Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck hinted that they had made progress on coming up with ways of alleviating Pyongyang's security woes.
“The United States is sincerely looking into the issue of a security guarantee (for North Korea),” Lee told reporters after the meeting. “But at this point they seem to be assessing different ideas.”
Lee, Seoul's head delegate to the six-way talks, said the U.S. showed a willingness to consider a step-by-step approach in its proposal to be made to North Korea at the second round of six-way talks.
The U.S. initially refused to consider a step-by-step approach to solving the crisis, demanding North Korea abandon its nuclear program immediately and completely _ not wanting to be seen to reward North Korea for bad behavior.
Details of the proposal were not revealed on Tuesday, but the three nations are known to have reaffirmed the principle that North Korea would receive benefits, including energy assistance, if it gives up its nuclear weapons program.
“We don't want to give the impression that our joint proposal means giving in to North Korea,” Lee said.
The trio also discussed the fate of the Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) project in North Korea. Seoul voiced opposition to halting the project, while Washington and Tokyo called for it to be scrapped.
Lee was joined by U.S. Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, and Japanese Foreign Ministry Director-General Mitoji Yabunaka in the discussions on how to draw Pyongyang back to the dialogue table, which also includes China and Russia.
The trio also agreed to meet again this month.
Despite a consensus reached during the first six-way talks to hold a second round this month, an early resumption seems unlikely.
A full diplomatic schedule this month may also make finding time for further six-way talks difficult. Major meetings include the Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Plus Three summit on Oct. 7-8 and Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) summit on Oct. 20-21.
North Korea isn't making prospects any brighter either, with its Foreign Ministry making bellicose comments Monday that it has no expectations for a second round of six-way talks.
“We did not promise anything on the next round of six-nation talks,” an unidentified ministry spokesman said, according to the North's Korean Central News Agency.
Pyongyang is also thought to have canceled a visit by Wu Bangguo, China's second highest-ranking official, who was expected to meet with the North Korean leader Kim Jong-il late last month.
Source : www.korea.net
