Voice of America 4/16/97
KOREA TALKS / FIRST DAY
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: OFFICIALS FROM NORTH KOREA, SOUTH
KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES -- MEETING
TODAY (WEDNESDAY) IN NEW YORK -- HAVE
AGREED TO HOLD A SECOND DAY OF MEETINGS
ON A PROPOSAL FOR TALKS ABOUT A NEW
PEACE AGREEMENT FOR THE KOREAN PENINSULA.
V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.
TEXT: AT THE END OF THE FULL-DAY TALKS,
NEGOTIATORS FROM THE THREE COUNTRIES
GAVE BRIEF, AND ALMOST IDENTICAL STATEMENTS
ABOUT THEIR DISCUSSIONS. THEY EACH SPOKE OF
ENCOURAGING PROGRESS TOWARDS REACHING
AGREEMENT ON A PROPOSAL FOR FOUR-PARTY
TALKS (EDS: INCLUDE CHINA) ON A PERMANENT
PEACE ARRANGEMENT TO REPLACE THE 1953
ARMISTICE THAT ENDED THE KOREAN WAR.
THE U-S NEGOTIATOR -- DEPUTY ASSISTANT
SECRETARY OF STATE CHARLES KARTMAN --
SAID MORE DISCUSSIONS ARE NEEDED ON
WHAT HE CALLED THE AGENDA AND OTHER
DETAILS.
/// KARTMAN ACT ///
WE MADE SOME ENCOURAGING PROGRESS, BUT
THERE IS STILL MORE TO BE DONE. WE ARE
GOING TO MEET AGAIN FRIDAY TO SEE IF WE
CANNOT CONTINUE THESE DISCUSSIONS AND
ACHIEVE WHAT WE SET OUT TO.
/// END ACT ///
THIS ROUND OF MEETINGS WAS CALLED AT
NORTH KOREA'S REQUEST, IN RESPONSE TO A
PROPOSAL FOR FOUR PARTY TALKS MADE A
YEAR AGO BY SOUTH KOREA AND THE UNITED
STATES. IT ALSO COMES JUST OVER A MONTH
AFTER THE THREE SIDES HELD DAY-LONG
TALKS IN NEW YORK TO DISCUSS DETAILS OF
THE PROPOSAL.
AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THESE LATEST TALKS,
NORTH KOREA'S NEGOTIATOR, VICE FOREIGN
MINISTER KIM GYE GWAN SPOKE TO REPORTERS
THROUGH AN INTERPRETER BUT DECLINED TO
COMMENT ON THE CONTENT OF THE DISCUSSIONS.
/// KIM INTERPRETER ACT ///
FOR NOW I CAN SAY THAT DURING OUR TALKS
THERE HAS BEEN ENCOURAGING PROGRESS.
/// END ACT ///
SOUTH KOREA'S REPRESENTATIVE, DEPUTY
MINISTER OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS, SONG YOUNG
SHIK, SAID ISSUES CONCERNING NORTH KOREA'S
FOOD SHORTAGE WERE DISCUSSED. HE SAID HE
EXPECTS TALKS ABOUT FOOD AID TO THE NORTH
TO CONTINUE ON FRIDAY -- AN INDICATION THAT
MAY BE ONE ISSUE NEGOTIATORS HAD TROUBLE
REACHING AGREEMENT ON.
/// SONG ACT ///
WELL FOOD ISSUE HAS BEEN RAISED DURING THE
COURSE OF THE MEETING.
/// END ACT ///
NORTH KOREA IS REPORTED TO HAVE MADE
FOOD AID A PRECONDITION FOR AGREEING TO
THE PROPOSAL FOR FOUR-PARTY TALKS.
NORTH KOREA IS FACING A THREAT OF FAMINE
FOLLOWING A SEVERE FOOD SHORTAGE OVER
THE LAST YEAR. UNITED NATIONS OFFICIALS
HAVE ALREADY BEGUN REPORTING DEATHS IN
THAT COUNTRY AS A RESULT OF MALNUTRITION.
SOUTH KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES HAVE
BOTH ANNOUNCED PLANS TO PROVIDE FOOD AID
TO THE NORTH. BUT DIPLOMATS SAY SEOUL AND
WASHINGTON CONSIDER THE FOOD ISSUE AN
EXTREMELY DIFFICULT ONE AS THEY ARE HESITANT
TO SUPPLY AID TO A COUNTRY THAT CONTINUES TO
BUILD UP ITS ABILITY TO WAGE WAR AGAINST ITS
SOUTHERN NEIGHBOR.
SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIALS HAVE SAID THEY HOPE
NORTH KOREA'S INCREASING NEED FOR AID WILL
FORCE IT TO MAKE SOME CONCESSIONS TO EASE
MILITARY TENSION ON THE PENINSULA. BUT SOME
WESTERN ANALYSTS SAY THERE ARE ALSO CONCERNS
THAT DETERIORATING FOOD AND POLITICAL
CONDITIONS IN THE NORTH COULD PROMPT IT TO
INITIATE A CONFLICT WITH THE SOUTH OUT OF
DESPERATION. (SIGNED)
NEB.NY/MPR/PT
16-Apr-97 9:00 PM EDT (0100 UTC)
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