DATE=7/26/2000
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
TITLE=U-S / NORTH KOREA (L-ONLY)
NUMBER=2-264828
BYLINE=NICK SIMEONE
DATELINE=HONOLULU
CONTENT=
VOICED AT:
INTRO: The United States says it will hold its
highest level meeting ever with North Korea in Bangkok
Friday when Secretary of State Madeleine Albright
meets her North Korean counterpart, Paek Nam-Sum, on
the sidelines of an Asian security conference.
Correspondent Nick Simeone has more on what would be
an unprecedented exchange.
TEXT: U-S officials expect a full range of bilateral
issues to be on the agenda, most importantly the
status of North Korea's missile program and recent
statements Pyongyang has made suggesting it would be
willing to give up missile development if other
nations agree to supply it with rockets to launch
satellites.
Relations between the United States and North Korea
have been gradually improving since last year after
Pyongyang agreed to stop testing missiles in exchange
for a partial lifting of longstanding U-S sanctions.
But the United States still has deep concerns over
North Korea's missile and nuclear intentions -- so
much so that President Clinton is considering whether
to go ahead with a multi-billion dollar missile
defense system. The reclusive country also remains on
the U-S government's list of terrorist nations.
State Department Spokesman Richard Boucher says he is
not looking for major announcements to come out of
Friday's meeting, which was announced only after
Secretary Albright had left Washington en route to
Bangkok to attend an Asian regional security
conference. But in another sign of North Korea's slow
emergence from isolation, its foreign minister will be
attending the ASEAN security conference for the first
time. (SIGNED)
NEB/NJS/JP
26-Jul-2000 13:27 PM LOC (26-Jul-2000 1727 UTC)
NNNN
Source: Voice of America
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