DATE=3/2/99
TYPE=BACKGROUNDER
NUMBER=5-42749
TITLE=U-S - NORTH KOREA / NEGOTIATIONS
BYLINE=MAX RUSTON
DATELINE=NEW YORK
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: OFFICIALS FROM THE UNITED STATES AND NORTH KOREA ARE
HOLDING TALKS THIS WEEK IN NEW YORK. THE TALKS ARE THE LATEST IN
A SERIES IN WHICH U-S OFFICIALS ARE TRYING TO CONVINCE NORTH
KOREA TO GIVE THEM ACCESS TO A SUSPECTED NUCLEAR WEAPONS SITE.
FROM NEW YORK, V-O-A'S MAX RUSTON REPORTS ON THE DIFFICULT
QUESTIONS FACING U-S NEGOTIATORS IN THESE AND OTHER TALKS WITH
NORTH KOREA.
TEXT: U-S INTELLIGENCE EXPERTS SAY THE SITUATION CONCERNING
NORTH KOREA IS VERY DANGEROUS. THEY SAY THERE IS EVIDENCE THAT
NORTH KOREA IS PURSUING A NUCLEAR WEAPONS PROGRAM. THEY SAY THAT
PROGRAM, COMBINED WITH NORTH KOREA'S ISOLATION, DETERIORATING
ECONOMY, AND QUESTIONABLE POLITICAL STABILITY CREATES AN
UNPREDICTABLE AND POTENTIALLY VOLATILE SITUATION.
A FORMER U-S AMBASSADOR TO SOUTH KOREA, DONALD GREGG, SAYS ONE
WAY TO REDUCE THIS DANGER IS TO CONVINCE NORTH KOREA THAT IT CAN
SURVIVE BY OPENING ITSELF TO THE REST OF THE WORLD.
/// GREGG ACT ///
I THINK ANYBODY WHO CAN GET INTO NORTH KOREA WITH TALK
ABOUT MORE BUSINESS FOR NORTH KOREA, THE MORE THE NORTH
KOREANS CAN SEE A VISION OF SURVIVAL THROUGH
REINTEGRATION WITH THE FAMILY OF NATIONS, THE BETTER
CHANCE WE HAVE OF GETTING THROUGH THE NEXT TWO YEARS.
/// END ACT ///
THE U-S ADMINISTRATION IS PURSUING TALKS WITH NORTH KOREA ON
SEVERAL ISSUES, IN AN APPARENT ATTEMPT TO BUILD A SYSTEM FOR
DIALOGUE, SO THAT DISPUTES AND MISUNDERSTANDINGS CAN BE RESOLVED
BEFORE THEY LEAD TO CONFLICT.
THE MOST PROMINENT PUBLIC ELEMENT OF ALL THESE TALKS IS SECRECY.
CHARLES WARDEN, A FORMER ADVISOR TO TWO U-S PRESIDENTS WHO NOW
DOES BUSINESS WITH NORTH KOREA, SAYS SECRECY IS AN ESSENTIAL
ELEMENT IN BUILDING A RELATIONSHIP WITH PYONGYANG.
/// WARDEN ACT ///
THEY [NORTH KOREANS] TELL ME TIME AND TIME AGAIN:
"PLEASE TELL YOUR AMERICAN FRIENDS WE CANNOT DEAL
PUBLICLY WITH THESE ISSUES, WE HAVE TO DEAL QUIETLY IN A
CLOSED AREA, BECAUSE IF WE ARE PUBLIC AND WE SAY
SOMETHING, WE KOREANS CAN NOT BACK DOWN." SO IF YOU
WANT TO GET ANYPLACE WITH THEM, GO OFF, HAVE A BEER, SIT
QUIETLY AND WORK IT OUT AND THEN COME OUT PUBLICLY WITH
WHAT YOU HAVE AGREED ON.
/// END ACT ///
TO THE PUBLIC EYE, TALKS BETWEEN NORTH KOREA AND THE UNITED
STATES RARELY APPEAR TO MAKE PROGRESS. INSTEAD, THEY OFTEN END
WITH NORTH KOREA MAKING THREATS TO CUT OFF TALKS OR TO STRENGTHEN
ITS MILITARY CAPACITY.
MITCHELL REISS IS THE SENIOR POLICY ADVISOR TO THE KOREAN
PENINSULA ENERGY DEVELOPMENT ORGANIZATION, KEDO. KEDO IS FUNDED
PRIMARILY BY SOUTH KOREA, JAPAN AND THE UNITED STATES. IT IS
TRYING TO BUILD TWO NUCLEAR POWER PLANTS IN NORTH KOREA.
MILITARY EXPERTS SAY OUTSIDE INVOLVEMENT IS THE BEST WAY TO
ENSURE MATERIALS USED IN THE PLANTS ARE NOT DIVERTED FOR MILITARY
USE. MR. REISS HAS EXPERIENCE NEGOTIATING WITH NORTH KOREAN
OFFICIALS.
/// REISS ACT ///
WE HAVE LEARNED THAT THREATS TO BREAK OFF THESE
NEGOTIATIONS SHOULD NOT BE MET WITH COUNTER-THREATS
NECESSARILY. A BETTER RESPONSE FOR US IS TO EXPRESS
REGRET AT THE LOST OPPORTUNITY AND TO PATIENTLY EXPLAIN
THE CONSEQUENCES IF THEY DO WALK AWAY FROM THE TABLE.
/// END ACT ///
MR. REISS SAYS IT IS IMPORTANT FOR U-S NEGOTIATORS TO KEEP A COOL
HEAD (REMAIN CALM) IN SUCH SITUATIONS. BUSINESSMAN CHARLES WARD
ADDS THAT IN SOME WAYS THE UNITED STATES HAS MADE IT EASY FOR
NORTH KOREA TO USE THREATS TO GET WHAT IT WANTS BECAUSE NORTH
KOREA SEES ITSELF AS HAVING LITTLE TO LOSE. HE SAYS AT MOST,
NORTH KOREA RISKS LOSING SOMETHING THAT WASHINGTON HAS OFFERED
BUT NOT YET GIVEN. HE SAYS IT WOULD BE FAR MORE EFFECTIVE TO
THREATEN TO TAKE SOMETHING AWAY THAT HAS ALREADY BEEN GIVEN TO
THEM. HE SAYS IT IS BASIC HUMAN NATURE THAT PEOPLE FEEL MORE
SENSITIVE TO LOSING SOMETHING THEY ALREADY HAVE THAN NOT GETTING
SOMETHING THEY MIGHT BE ABLE TO GET. (SIGNED)
NEB/UN/MPR/LSF/PT
02-Mar-99 5:23 PM EST (2223 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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