DATE=6/25/99
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-251081
TITLE=KOREA TALKS (L-ONLY)
BYLINE=ROGER WILKISON
DATELINE=BEIJING
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMATS IN BEIJING SAY TALKS BETWEEN THEIR
COUNTRY AND NORTH KOREA ARE BACK ON TRACK AFTER BEING SUSPENDED
EARLIER IN THE WEEK -- WHEN NORTH KOREA DEMANDED AN APOLOGY FOR
THE SINKING OF ONE OF ITS GUNBOATS. V-O-A CORRESPONDENT ROGER
WILKISON REPORTS SOUTH KOREAN DIPLOMATS SAY THE NORTH KOREANS
HAVE NOT SET ANY PRECONDITIONS FOR RESUMING THE TALKS ON
SATURDAY.
TEXT: THE HIGHEST-LEVEL CONTACT BETWEEN OFFICIALS FROM THE TWO
KOREAS IN 14 MONTHS ENDED ABRUPTLY LAST TUESDAY AFTER 90 MINUTES
WHEN NORTH KOREA INSISTED ON A SOUTH KOREAN APOLOGY FOR LAST
WEEK'S NAVAL CONFRONTATION IN THE YELLOW SEA. BUT SOUTH KOREAN
DIPLOMATS SAID ON THURSDAY THAT THEY RECEIVED A TELEPHONE CALL
FROM THEIR NORTHERN COUNTERPARTS OFFERING TO REOPEN THE TALKS.
AFTER GETTING THE GO-AHEAD FROM SEOUL, THE SOUTH KOREAN
DELEGATION SAID IT WAS READY TO MEET WITH PYONGYANG'S
REPRESENTATIVES.
SEOUL HAS INSISTED THAT THE TALKS FOCUS ON REUNIONS OF FAMILIES
DIVIDED BY THE KOREAN WAR, WHICH ENDED 46 YEARS AGO. IT WANTS
THE NORTH TO ALLOW THESE SEPARATED FAMILIES TO EXCHANGE LETTERS
AND MEET IN SO-CALLED REUNION STATIONS ALONG THE BORDER.
PYONGYANG, WHICH HAS PREVIOUSLY RESISTED SUCH PROPOSALS, WAS
ENTICED INTO DISCUSSING THEM AFTER SOUTH KOREA PROMISED TO SEND
200 THOUSAND TONS OF FERTILIZER TO THE NORTH BY THE END OF JULY.
HALF OF THAT AMOUNT HAS ALREADY ARRIVED IN THE FAMINE-STRICKEN
COMMUNIST COUNTRY.
AS THE NORTH KOREANS SIGNALED THEIR READINESS TO TALK TO THE
SOUTH, THE RECLUSIVE STATE'S VICE FOREIGN MINISTER ENDED TWO
DAYS OF MEETINGS --ALSO IN BEIJING-- WITH A U-S ENVOY. ALTHOUGH
NEITHER SIDE WOULD TALK TO REPORTERS, DIPLOMATS SAID THE MAIN
ITEM OF DISCUSSION WAS A U-S OFFER TO END ECONOMIC SANCTIONS
AGAINST NORTH KOREA, AND EVEN RECOGNIZE IT DIPLOMATICALLY, IF
PYONGYANG STOPS DEVELOPING NUCLEAR WEAPONS AND BALLISTIC
MISSILES.
ON THURSDAY, THE UNITED STATES WARNED NORTH KOREA THAT IT WILL
SUFFER SERIOUS CONSEQUENCES IF IT FOLLOWS UP LAST YEAR'S TEST OF
A LONG-RANGE MISSILE WITH ANOTHER TEST LAUNCH THIS YEAR. SOUTH
KOREAN PRESIDENT KIM DAE-JUNG SAID SUCH A TEST WOULD HURT NORTH
KOREA'S INCIPIENT TIES WITH HIS COUNTRY, JAPAN AND THE UNITED
STATES.
/// REST OPT ///
REPRESENTATIVES OF ALL THREE COUNTRIES ARE MEETING IN WASHINGTON
LATER FRIDAY TO DISCUSS A COMMON STRATEGY IN DEALING WITH NORTH
KOREA. (SIGNED)
NEB/RW/GC/JO
25-Jun-99 6:06 AM EDT (1006 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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