DATE=7/24/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=NORTH KOREA / U-S S-ONLY
NUMBER=2-264724
BYLINE=ALISHA RYU
DATELINE=HONG KONG
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: North Korea says it is will hold the highest
level of talks to date with the United States. The
two foreign ministers are expected to Wednesday (7/26)
in Bangkok, Thailand, where they will be attending the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations regional forum.
VOA's Alisha Ryu reports from our Asia News Center.
TEXT: The official North Korea news agency made the
announcement in Pyongyang. The expected meeting
between North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun and
U-S Secretary of State Madeleine Albright is another
sign the hard-line communist nation is emerging from
self-imposed isolation.
The State Department, however, says it is not
certain whether Ms. Albright will be able to attend
the ASEAN forum due to the on-going intensive
Palestinian-Israeli peace talks near Washington, D-C.
If Ms. Albright does hold talks with her North Korean
counterpart, discussions are likely to center on
Pyongyang's reported pledge to halt its ballistic
missile program in return for cooperation on space
research. Talks on North Korea's missile program broke
down last month when Pyongyang demanded a billion
dollars annually from the United States. (Signed)
NEB/HK/AR/JO
24-Jul-2000 04:38 AM LOC (24-Jul-2000 0838 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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