17 March 1999
TRANSCRIPT: KARTMAN/KIM JOINT STATEMENT ON U.S.-DPRK TALKS
(Improved relations to start with agricultural program) (500) New York -- U.S. efforts to improve political and economic relations with North Korea will likely begin with a joint bilateral program in the agricultural area, given that the food situation in the DPRK remains quite dire, according to U.S. Special Envoy Charles Kartman. The United States and North Korea have begun discussing the details of a pilot program involving potato production, Kartman said during a joint press conference with his North Korean counterpart March 16. Those discussions, he said, "will continue in the coming days and we hope that it will be implemented very quickly." Following is a transcript of the briefing: (begin transcript) U.S.-DPRK Joint Statement U.S. Mission New York March 16, 1999 Ambassador Kartman: Thank you and welcome. We have a joint press statement which I will read, then we'll take a few questions. (Reads U.S.-DPRK Joint Statement) That concludes the statement. We're now prepared to take a couple of questions. Question: Mr. Kartman, in what way has the U.S. agreed to improve political and economic relations? Ambassador Kartman: The discussion had from the very beginning identified that the Agreed Framework commits both sides to improved relations. The suspicions that were held about this site at Kumchang-ni were proving to be an obstacle to its smooth implementation. And so removing that obstacle meant that the United States would be resuming the progress as envisioned by the Agreed Framework. And so, we began to discuss the possibility of a joint bilateral program in the agricultural area, specifically, involving potato production, given that the food situation in the DPRK remains quite dire. So we have begun discussing the details of such a pilot program, and that will continue in the coming days and we hope that it will be implemented very quickly. Question: Yes. I have a question for the North Korean Vice Foreign Minister. The North Korean government has often said that the excavation at Kumchang-ni is not connected to a nuclear weapons program. Can you tell us what it's for? What is going on there? Vice Minister Kim: (through interpreter) As you just now have correctly mentioned, the site in Kumchang-ni has nothing to do with nuclear objectives. It's true that the site is a site which is related to a sensitive national security purpose. Question: This question for Vice Minister Kim. What was your country looking for, when they came here to the talks, in exchange for access to the nuclear site? Vice Minister Kim, what were you asking for from the U.S. and are you happy with the results of the negotiations? Vice Minister Kim: (through interpreter) As for the result of our negotiations, it is clearly specified in the text of our joint press statement. We are very happy with the text of the joint press statement. That's why we're here today. Thank you. (end transcript)
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