Weapons of Mass Destruction (WMD)

DATE=6/29/04

TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT

TITLE=CQ INDONESIA / NORTH KOREA (S/L)

NUMBER=2-317118

BYLINE=SCOTT BOBB

DATELINE=JAKARTA

///EDS: REISSUED WITH RECAST INTRO TO CLARIFY THAT NORTH KOREA'S FOREIGN MINISTER COMMENTED TO INDONESIA'S FOREIGN MINISTER IN JAKARTA. ///

HEADLINE: Indonesian Official Says North Korea Wants To Continue Talks on Nuclear Weapons

INTRO: North Korea's foreign minister has indicated his government intends to continue talks over dismantling its nuclear program. He made the remark to his Indonesian counterpart Tuesday after arriving in Indonesia for a gathering of Asian and Western foreign ministers. Correspondent Scott Bobb reports from Jakarta.

TEXT: Indonesian Foreign Minister Hassan Wirajuda (PRON: WEE-rah-YOO-dah) said North Korea wants to resolve the Korean peninsula crisis diplomatically.

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"North Korea would proceed with this dialogue process with patience, flexibility and the solutions of the substantive problems as a package."

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Mr. Wirajuda made the comments Tuesday after meeting with North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun (PRON: PAK nahm soon). He quoted Mr. Paek as saying the negotiations over Pyongyang's nuclear weapons programs lack trust.

Last week, North Korea attended a third round of talks with the United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China. The U.S. government said it would offer security guarantees to the North and the other nations would pledge aid if Pyongyang abandoned all efforts to build nuclear weapons.

Little progress was made at the talks but the parties agreed to meet again in a few months.

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U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell is expected in Jakarta later in the week for a meeting of the Asia Regional Forum. His presence has led to speculation of a meeting with the North Korea delegation.

However, Indonesian Foreign Ministry spokesman Marty Natalegawa (PRON: nat-a-le-GAWA) says he knows of no such plans.

/// NATALEGAWA ACT ///

"The (North Korean) foreign minister disclosed that they are not actively seeking bilaterals (meetings) with any country, but they are open to have meetings with whomever wishes to meet with them."

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Mr. Natalegawa said, however, that Mr. Paek, will meet with the South Korean foreign minister this week.

Mr. Paek for his part thanked the Indonesians for their concern over the matter.

/// PAEK ACT IN KOREAN ///

Mr. Paek says he appreciates the Indonesian government's support and understanding for what he called North Korea's reasonable proposal and principled stand on the issue.

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Indonesian officials also say they could host a reunion between a Japanese woman who recently returned home after being abducted years ago by North Korea and her American husband, who is still in the North. The man is suspected of deserting the U.S. military almost 40 years ago, and has been unwilling to join his wife in Japan, fearing arrest by U.S. authorities. Japanese officials say they want to meet with North Korea on the matter.

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Foreign ministers from Asian and Western nations are in Indonesia for a meeting (Wednesday) of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations. Regional security, economic integration and the situation in Burma are high on the agenda. (SIGNED)

NEB/HK/SB/KPD/KL/KBK