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Inter-Korean General-Level Talks Close

Korean Central News Agency of DPRK via Korea News Service (KNS)

   Pyongyang, December 14 (KCNA) -- The 7th north-south general-level talks closed Friday.
    The talks adopted an agreement on providing a military guarantee for passage, communications and customs clearance in the areas under the control of the north and the south.
    In the agreement the north side, prompted by the firm will of the Korean People's Army to thoroughly implement the historic October 4 declaration, decided to take measures for providing a military guarantee for increasing the time of passage through Kaesong and Mt. Kumgang areas, ensuring speedy and smooth communications and cutting down the time of customs clearance with a view to contributing to the inter-Korean cooperation projects in those areas.
    The talks also discussed the issue of fixing peaceful waters and waters for joint fishing in the West Sea.
    The north side advanced a fair and aboveboard proposal for setting the waters between the maritime boundary guarded by the KPA and the "northern limit line" asserted by the south side as peaceful waters and fixing waters for joint fishing inside them.
    This proposal based on the recognition of the complicated situation in the West Sea reflects the desire of all Koreans to make the West Sea a peaceful one free from source of conflicts.
    This is a landmark proposal as it makes it possible to fix a "special zone for peace and cooperation in the West Sea" as required by the June 15 era of reunification and reenergize north-south cooperation and exchange and thus promote to the full the interests and prosperity common to the nation.
    The south side, however, set forth a proposal for fixing waters for joint fishing reflecting its intention to set them deep inside the territorial waters of the north side on the basis of the illegal "northern limit line."
    The south side's unreasonable proposal met a strong rebuff from the north side. As a result, they failed to reach an agreement on fixing waters for joint fishing and peaceful waters in the West Sea.
    The north side brought to light the injustice of the south side's proposal and vehemently denounced the south side for its improper attitude of persisting in its old stand dating back to the era of confrontation, going against the era of reunification.
    Both sides agreed to further discussions on matters related to fixing those waters in the future.