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27 April 1999

TEXT: KOREA FOUR-PARTY TALKS APRIL 27 JOINT PRESS STATEMENT

(Parties agree to fashion measures to reduce tension)  (450)
Washington -- The fifth plenary session of the Korea Four Party Talks,
chaired by the United States, concluded April 27 with an agreement by
the parties to consider and fashion measures to reduce tension on the
Korean Peninsula during their next round of talks.
A joint press statement by the parties -- the United States, China
(PRC), the Republic of Korea (ROK) and the Democratic People's
Republic of Korea (DPRK) -- was read to the press at the conclusion of
the talks by Ambassador Charles Kartman, U.S. Special Envoy for the
Korean Peace Talks.
The sixth plenary session of the Four Party Talks, chaired by China,
will be held in Geneva in August 1999.
Following is the text of the joint press statement:
(begin text)
JOINT PRESS STATEMENT
The fifth plenary session of the Four Party Talks, chaired by the
United States, was held in Geneva from April 24 to April 27, 1999.
Delegations of the four parties, the DPRK, PRC, ROK, and U.S. had
useful and productive discussions which were conducted in a
business-like and cordial manner.
The two subcommittees that were established -- to discuss,
respectively, tension reduction on the Korean Peninsula and the
establishment of a peace regime there -- held meetings over two days,
on April 25-26. The two subcommittees were conducted in accordance
with the procedures agreed to during the fourth session.
In the subcommittees, detailed substantive views were freely exchanged
and the subcommittees reported to the plenary on their activities,
noting in their reports that serious differences in positions exist.
The four parties agreed to continue to discuss substantive issues, and
proposals for agenda items, at the next session. The four parties
agreed in the next round to consider and fashion measures to reduce
tension that fit the unique situation on the Korean Peninsula. The
four parties also agreed to take steps in the next round to explore
further the outlines of a future peace regime on the Korean Peninsula.
The sixth plenary session of the Four Party Talks will be held in
Geneva in August, 1999. A deputy head of delegation preparatory
meeting will be convened to discuss arrangements for organizing the
work of the next plenary session in Geneva a day before the plenary
meets.
In accordance with established procedure, the new Chair state, the
PRC, will prepare for the next plenary session.
The four delegations expressed their deep appreciation to the Swiss
government for its support for this meeting and for the hospitality it
extended to the delegations.
April 27, 1999, Geneva
(end text)