State Department Noon Briefing, October 3, 2000
STATE DEPARTMENT REGULAR BRIEFING
BRIEFER: PHILIP REEKER, DEPARTMENT SPOKESMAN
STATE DEPARTMENT BRIEFING ROOM,
WASHINGTON, D.C. 1:05 P.M. EDT
TUESDAY, OCTOBER 3, 2000
(ON THE RECORD UNLESS OTHERWISE NOTED)
Q: I understand the North Korea talks have ended and that there were
some - my understanding is that there is going to be some kind of an
announcement - more details of Vice Marshall Cho's visit are - have
been - are known now.
MR. REEKER: Right. Our comprehensive bilateral talks, which we
discussed yesterday, which have been taking place in New York with
North Korea on a broad range of issues, concluded last night - Monday
night. I believe they went fairly late into the evening. Officials
that were participating in those talks, I think are just now returning
to Washington, so I don't have a great deal of information or details
to go into the discussions other than that I was told the talks were
very positive and that much of the time was spent discussing the
upcoming visit of Vice Marshall Cho. And during that time obviously,
in the visit next week, our discussions on key issues will continue.
I think we have been through the facts of that visit, that the
Secretary will host him, and that he will meet with the President
during that time. He is expected to arrive in Washington October the
9th and begin the meetings the following day.
Q: Will there be a statement later spelling out in detail - you
usually have a statement at the end of such talks. You usually have a
written --
MR. REEKER: I could expect - you mean from the New York talks? I don't
anticipate at this point - I don't think - I don't believe we have had
written statements.
Q: You just said that they worked late, and they have - implying that
you haven't had time to talk to them about the meeting, leaving the
impression that once they have time you will talk with them and then
say more than you are saying now. Unless there's --
MR. REEKER: If there is more, I will be happy to share with you. What
was discussed in much of the time was the upcoming visit and
arrangements for that visit.
Q: But there were a lot of other issues that came up.
MR. REEKER: And during that visit, there will be continuing
discussions, additional discussions, on the key issues. So, at this
point, I don't expect to have great details about our discussions in
New York. What we are looking forward to now is the high-level visit
next week, and obviously during the course of that we will keep you
briefed.
Q: Do you know if there is any progress on the terrorism issue?
MR. REEKER: I just don't have anything to report specifically.
Ambassador Sheehan, who was leading the terrorism segment of those
talks in New York, was there. He is one of the officials that I am
expecting back, if he is not already back in Washington today.
Q: You may not have this, but when you say much of the time was spent
discussing the visit, was that just yesterday much of the time or the
whole - since last Wednesday?
MR. REEKER: You will recall that we announced the visit on Friday,
which was during the course of those talks, and so obviously the
discussions about the visit were an aspect of the talks throughout.
Q: So it wasn't just yesterday that there was much of the time spent
--
MR. REEKER: No. Again, we announced the visit on Friday in conjunction
with those talks that were going on in New York, and then we continued
discussions in New York on the modalities of --
Q: I asked yesterday if some of the Korean delegation was going to
come to Washington. I'm just wondering if - do you know if the Vice
Foreign Minister, Kim Gye Gwan - has he gone back to Pyongyang, or is
he - are there North Koreans in Washington --
MR. REEKER: I don't have a detailed - I don't believe there are any
North Koreans in Washington as we speak. But some coming at some point
as we get closer to the visit is certainly something one could expect,
but I just don't have any details on that.
Q: Do you have something on the Senate approval --
MR. REEKER: Anything more on Korea before we move on?
Q: Is there a tentative schedule for that visit yet?
MR. REEKER: There isn't a tentative --
Q: (inaudible)
MR. REEKER: Well, there is a tentative schedule in the sense that we
expect him to arrive in Washington on October 9th and for the meetings
to begin the next day, the 10th, and to go - he will be here through
the 12th, I believe - until the 12th.
Q: Do you know the place that the first official meeting will take
place in?
MR. REEKER: Washington.
Q: But, no - nothing like the Blair House or anything like that?
MR. REEKER: I don't. I don't have any of those kinds of details.
Q: Do you know if he is staying at the Blair House?
MR. REEKER: I don't believe that is the case, no.
Q: Yes. Ambassador Kartman last night said the State Department would
issue an announcement - some kind of announcement within this week.
But you said you didn't expect - anticipate - any announcement?
MR. REEKER: I guess I'm not clear on what you are talking about in
terms of announcement. We certainly announced the trip, and we may
have - certainly we will have more to say about the upcoming visit as
the week goes on. In fact, I think we are trying to arrange some kind
of a briefing for you all just to go over North Korea issues with some
of you who haven't been following it as closely, before we have that
high-level visit next week. So Tuesday is today; we still have a good
part of the week left, and we will try to get more on that.
(The briefing was concluded at 1:35 P.M.)
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