White House: President Bush Writes North Korean Leader, Others on Nuclear Issues
By VOA News
06 December 2007
White House Spokesman says U.S. President George Bush wrote to North Korean leader Kim Jong Il calling on Pyongyang to reveal all details of the country's nuclear programs.
National Security Council spokesman Gordon Johndroe says Mr. Bush wrote letters to all leaders involved in the six-party talks last Saturday, reiterating his commitment to the ongoing nuclear negotiations.
Earlier Thursday, the official Korean Central News Agency said the letter was delivered by U.S. nuclear envoy Christopher Hill during a rare visit to North Korea this week, and handed over to the country's Foreign Minister Pak Ui Chun.
U.S. nuclear envoy Hill has been stepping up efforts to get North Korea to submit a list of all of its nuclear activities before the end of the year.
Speaking in Beijing, Hill said that the list did not need to be final, but stressed that it should at least be credible. On Wednesday, Hill said he was still having trouble reaching an agreement with North Korea on just what nuclear activities Pyongyang should disclose in the list.
Hill has said there were differences on what should be included in North Korea's nuclear declaration such as materials, installations and programs that the envoy said were left out.
South Korea's foreign minister Song Min-soon also said today that the release of the list could be delayed. Soong said nuclear negotiators were still aiming for the year-end deadline, but added that some flexibility might be necessary.
Pyongyang has pledged to disable its nuclear facilities before the end of this year.
In return for its pledges, it has been promised economic aid and other incentives.
Some information for this report was provided by AFP, AP and Reuters.
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