DATE=12/9/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-223905
TITLE=KOREA TALKS / FIRST DAY (L)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=GENEVA
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: A FIRST DAY OF KOREA PEACE TALKS TOOK PLACE TODAY
(TUESDAY) IN GENEVA, MARKING THE RESUMPTION OF A PEACE PROCESS
STARTED MORE THAN FOUR DECADES AGO. AS V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON
REPORTS FROM GENEVA, THE TALKS ARE ALREADY BEING DESCRIBED AS A
SUCCESS, DESPITE THE APPARENT ABSENCE OF ANY SPECIFIC AGREEMENTS.
TEXT: THE FIRST DAY OF TALKS LASTED MORE THAN SEVEN HOURS. THE
MEETING BEGAN WITH NEGOTIATORS FROM THE FOUR PARTIES -- NORTH
KOREA, SOUTH KOREA, THE UNITED STATES AND CHINA -- READING
OPENING STATEMENTS, PRESENTING THEIR LONG-RANGE GOALS FOR THE
TALKS.
NORTH KOREA SAID IT HOPES TO ESTABLISH A SEPARATE PEACE TREATY
WITH THE UNITED STATES AND CONVINCE WASHINGTON TO REMOVE ITS
37-THOUSAND TROOPS FROM SOUTH KOREA. AND IN A RARE
ACKNOWLEDGEMENT OF SOUTH KOREA, NORTH KOREA SAID IT HOPES TO
IMPROVE THE SITUATION ON THE KOREAN PENINSULA THROUGH TALKS WITH
SEOUL.
SOUTH KOREA CALLED FOR AN EASING OF TENSION ON THE HIGHLY
MILITARIZED PENINSULA AND SAID IT HOPES THE TALKS WILL ACHIEVE
THEIR PRIMARY GOAL -- THE ESTABLISHMENT OF A PEACE TREATY TO
REPLACE THE 1953 ARMISTICE THAT ENDED FIGHTING IN THE KOREAN WAR.
CHINA SPOKE IN SUPPORT OF NORTH KOREA'S MAIN OBJECTIVE IN CALLING
FOR BETTER TIES BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND THE UNITED STATES. IT
ALSO CALLED FOR A NEW POST-COLD-WAR PHASE IN DEALING WITH THE
KOREAN SITUATION.
U-S OFFICIALS DID NOT MAKE ANY PUBLIC COMMENT ABOUT THE FIRST DAY
OF TALKS OR RELEASE THE AMERICAN OPENING STATEMENT. THE TALKS
ARE SCHEDULED TO CONCLUDE ON WEDNESDAY.
AFTER THE CONCLUSION OF THE FIRST DAY OF TALKS, SOUTH KOREAN
OFFICIALS WERE THE ONLY PARTICIPANTS TO COMMENT PUBLICLY, SAYING
DISCUSSIONS WERE CONSTRUCTIVE AND TOOK PLACE IN A GOOD
ATMOSPHERE.
EARLIER, DIPLOMATS SAID THEY CONSIDERED THE TALKS A SIGNIFICANT
SUCCESS BECAUSE THEY STARTED ON TIME WITH ALL FOUR PARTIES IN
ATTENDANCE. IT HAS TAKEN CLOSE TO A YEAR OF PRELIMINARY
DISCUSSIONS TO ARRANGE THE TALKS. NORTH KOREA, IN PARTICULAR,
WAS AN UNRELIABLE PARTICIPANT IN PREPARATORY TALKS, SOMETIMES
FAILING TO SHOW UP OR SHOW ANY FLEXIBILITY IN DEALING WITH
DIFFICULT ISSUES.
NORTH KOREA'S PRIMARY CONDITION FOR HOLDING THE TALKS WAS THAT
THEY INCLUDE DISCUSSIONS ON THE REMOVAL OF U-S TROOPS FROM SOUTH
KOREA. THAT IS A TOPIC U-S OFFICIALS HAVE BEEN RELUCTANT TO
DISCUSS, BUT APPARENTLY HAVE AGREED TO ALLOW ON THE AGENDA FOR
THE FORMAL FOUR-PARTY TALKS THAT STARTED THIS WEEK.
U-S OFFICIALS SAY THE FOUR-PARTY TALKS COULD CONTINUE FOR YEARS.
THEY SAY THIS FIRST ROUND OF TALKS WAS DESIGNED AS AN
INTRODUCTORY SESSION WITHOUT ANY EXPECTATIONS FOR SPECIFIC
RESULTS. (SIGNED)
NEB/MPR/RRM
09-Dec-97 3:29 PM EST (2029 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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