DATE=8/25/98
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-237654
TITLE=U-S / NORTH KOREA TALKS (L - ONLY)
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=UNITED NATIONS
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: TALKS BETWEEN THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA ENTERED
THEIR THIRD DAY TODAY (TUESDAY) IN NEW YORK. ISSUES UNDER
DISCUSSION INCLUDE NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR PROGRAM AND ITS CALLS
FOR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE UNITED STATES. V-O-A
CORRESPONDENT MAX RUSTON REPORTS FROM NEW YORK.
TEXT: THE THIRD DAY OF TALKS BEGAN IN THE SAME MANNER AS THE
FIRST TWO DAYS ... WITH NO PUBLIC STATEMENTS FROM ANY OFFICIALS
INVOLVED. DIPLOMATS SAY PRIVATELY THAT A FULL RANGE OF ISSUES IS
UNDER DISCUSSION. THE FACT THAT THE TALKS HAVE CONTINUED FOR SO
MANY DAYS IS SEEN AS AN INDICATION SOME PROGRESS IS BEING MADE IN
ESTABLISHING AND DISCUSSING THE VIEWS OF THE TWO SIDES.
WASHINGTON'S MAIN CONCERN IN DEALING WITH NORTH KOREA IS THAT IT
MAY BE DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS. JUST BEFORE THE TALKS BEGAN,
THERE WERE REPORTS IN U-S NEWSPAPERS THAT NORTH KOREA IS MAKING
PREPARATIONS TO BUILD A NEW, UNDERGROUND FACILITY THAT COULD BE
USED TO MAKE NUCLEAR WEAPONS MATERIAL.
NORTH KOREA'S NUCLEAR WEAPONS CAPABILITY IS CONSIDERED A HIGH
PRIORITY ISSUE IN WASHINGTON, AS THE UNITED STATES KEEPS BETWEEN
30-THOUSAND AND 40-THOUSAND TROOPS IN SOUTH KOREA.
OTHER ISSUES LIKELY TO COME UNDER DISCUSSION IN THE NEW YORK
TALKS INCLUDE NORTH KOREA'S FOOD SHORTAGE AND ITS NEED FOR
EMERGENCY SUPPLIES, ITS CALLS FOR DIPLOMATIC RELATIONS WITH THE
UNITED STATES AND THE FUNDING FOR A NEW POWER STATION IN NORTH
KOREA. THE UNITED STATES, JAPAN AND SOUTH KOREA ARE PAYING FOR A
NEW POWER STATION IN NORTH KOREA IN AN EFFORT TO MAINTAIN AN
ABILITY TO MONITOR THE INFLOW OF NUCLEAR MATERIAL INTO THE
COUNTRY.
NO DATE HAS BEEN SET FOR THE CONCLUSION OF THE TALKS. (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF
25-Aug-98 3:22 PM EDT (1922 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
.
|
NEWSLETTER
|
|
Join the GlobalSecurity.org mailing list
|
|
|
