Clinton Reaffirms Partnership With Seoul, Tokyo, Amid Grave Concern for North Korea
David Gollust | State Department 06 December 2010
Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has reaffirmed the U.S. security commitment to South Korea and Japan amid what she termed "grave concern" about North Korean behavior. Clinton met her South Korean and Japanese counterparts Monday in a three-way meeting in Washington.
What Clinton described as a "landmark" trilateral meeting reflects the high level of concern among the United States and its closest Asian allies following North Korea's shelling attack on a South Korean island two weeks ago.
In an unusual gesture as she opened the meeting, Clinton asked for a moment of silence for those killed, two South Korean soldiers and two construction workers, in the first North Korean attack on civilians in the south since the Korean war of the 1950's.
"This meeting takes place at a time of grave concern in northeast Asia amid the provocative attacks from North Korea," said Clinton. "We are committed to our partners and we committed to the preservation of peace and stability in northeast Asia and on the Korean peninsula."
Japanese Foreign Minister Seiji Maehara called the North Korean attack on the island "indiscriminate and cruel."
He said the three allies will work together to "firmly" address the issue, and also will seek the engagement of China and Russia to help get North Korea back on the nuclear disarmament track it committed to in 2005 in the Chinese-sponsored six-party talks.
South Korean Foreign Minister Kim Sung-hwan called allied cooperation "imperative" in the face of the shelling incident and recent disclosure of a North Korean uranium-enrichment project, while also stressing the need to engage Moscow and Beijing.
"As Minister Maehara said, I also look forward to having an in-depth discussion on how to get, and how to cooperate with China and Russia," said Kim. "And through today's meeting, I hope we can strengthen our cooperation on these issues."
Along with the United States, Japan and South Korea, China and Russia are the other participants in the six-party talks with North Korea, which have been stalled for two years.
U.S. officials believe China, as North Korea's main trading partner and aid provider, has critical leverage over Pyongyang. Earlier, President Barack Obama telephoned Chinese President Hu Jintao.
A White House statement said the President urged China to work with the United States and others to send a "clear message" to North Korea that its provocations are unacceptable.
It said Mr. Obama stressed the need for Pyongyang to meet its international obligations, including its commitments in the 2005 six-party joint declaration.
North Korea at the time agreed in principle to scrap its nuclear program, including its presumed small arsenal of nuclear weapons, in return for aid and diplomatic benefits from the other participating countries.
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