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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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QUESTION: Korean missile talks - did they actually take place today? Or are they in the process now?

MR. BURNS: John has - do we have a start yet? It was planned to be started. They have started. Thank you.

We can now officially say that the nonproliferation talks have started and are led on our side by our very able Deputy Assistant Secretary Bob Einhorn. I can tell you in press arrangements that I think there was not any kind of open press event to mark the start of the talks. These are confidential. But at some point, we are going to brief you; maybe on a background basis. The leading individuals in our delegation will be briefing you on the talks. You will get a shot at them.

QUESTION: Nick --

QUESTION: Up there or down here?

MR. BURNS: Probably up there. Isn't that right, John? In New York? John said probably in the early evening of Friday afternoon, on the 13th of June, after the talks are completed. These are three days of talks scheduled.

QUESTION: And you will let us know so we can tell --

MR. BURNS: We will let you know, yes.

QUESTION: Because they are having trouble getting in touch with anybody up there.

MR. BURNS: Is that right? Well, we will let you know. Yes.

QUESTION: Also on North Korea. Has the U.S. Government been given a heads up from the World Food Program that a big new request for food aid is coming up?

MR. BURNS: No, I don't know anything about that. I know that the World Food Program is drawing more attention to the plight of the North Korean population. I am not aware that they have come forward with any kind of request for additional assistance.

But we have said many times, Jim, that we consider this problem to be so severe that we obviously will stand ready to look very seriously at any further request from the World Food Program, which is the agency that we work with, and let me just say on that issue - I know there's been various press reporting about this including a piece in The New York Times this morning - our food aid goes to young children below the age of six. It does not go to the North Korean military.

There was a reference in The New York Times this morning that said that our food aid might be directed to the North Korean military. That is not the case at all. Our food aid goes to young kids who are absolutely affected by the severe food shortages in North Korea. We have great confidence in the World Food Program and its ability to account for the way that the food is delivered, how the money is spent, and who is actually consuming this food.

Now, there is no question that the North Korean military probably gets the lion's share of the food produced in North Korea. That is one of the problems in a communist society. They are not producing enough food, and they are not allocating it efficiently. That is why they need international help. They ought to change their system.

But until they change their system, we think it is important for all countries to respond on a humanitarian basis to the civilians who need the food. We will not countenance our food, any of our food, being directed or diverted to the North Korean military.

QUESTION: So we're not talking about two different things here, I didn't ask you if there was a formal request. I asked you if there was a heads up from the World Food Program that they will be coming up with a formal request for a new, large allotment.

MR. BURNS: I am not aware of it, and I haven't heard anything about that. But I can continue to monitor that for you.

QUESTION: Okay.

QUESTION: (Inaudible)

MR. BURNS: Still on North Korea?

QUESTION: Yeah.

MR. BURNS: Yes.

QUESTION: On North Korea, in the Monday briefing you said the United States hasn't decided if the U.S. will impose sanctions on North Korea - in the Monday briefing?

MR. BURNS: On the issue of sanctions?

QUESTION: Right. You know, plus the allegation on the missile technology export. I talked with PM people who said - actually, they said, U.S. has already twice imposed sanctions to the North Korea entity on the missile exports. It said once in March of '92, and once in May of '96. So can you check this for me?

MR. BURNS: Well, I mean, our experts have --

QUESTION: Or do you have the --

MR. BURNS: Our experts in the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs can tell you what we have done in the past. But I, of course, take your question to mean what are we doing now: Are we considering now in the June of 1997 any further sanctions on North Korea or North Korean companies?

I have told you that we have been concerned by a number of allegations about improper shipments, but we have not determined that there has been any violation of American law or international sanctions law.

QUESTION: The sanction was May of '96, and just one month after the Berlin talks, the first missile talks with North Korea. This sanction is to the North Korean entity who exported missile technology to Iran. But actually, the content of the sanction is meaningless. But I just wonder if you have any kind of interpretation of the sanctions or can you check this one?

MR. BURNS: Well, you have got more information from the Bureau of Political and Military Affairs than I do. So maybe what I should do after this briefing is go ask that Bureau, if you are interested in the history of our relationship with North Korea and sanctions - John is coming with a note. Yes, John says that the missile talks began at 10:00 a.m. this morning.

I'll get back to you. We can get back to you if you are interested in the history. But in this briefing, we normally talk about what is happening now and what the United States will do in the future. I can tell you we have not made a decision in recent weeks or recent days or even recent months to sanction a North Korean company. And I will let you know if we decide to do that.

QUESTION: Korea.

MR. BURNS: Yes.

QUESTION: Nick, has Mr. Cho Wong-kyu, he is a legislator from South Korea, yet met with Chuck Kartman? He was supposed to come up here sometime this week.

MR. BURNS: Well, Chuck is in Seoul.

QUESTION: Oh, Chuck --

MR. BURNS: Chuck Kartman is in Seoul for trilateral talks with the South Koreans and Japanese on the Korean Peninsula. So perhaps they have met there. I don't know.

QUESTION: Oh, no, no. He is in Washington for five days.

MR. BURNS: Ah-hah.

QUESTION: Has he been to the State Department to meet with any of Chuck's people?

MR. BURNS: I don't know. I don't know.

QUESTION: Okay. Do you have a comment on -- this man has changed his posture on feeding the North saying that an eventual - that such - that an eventual collapse of North Korean system could bring unthinkable calamities. It could force North Korea to start a war. This guy has been going around town basically waving a red flag.

MR. BURNS: It's not unusual to hear this kind of prediction of calamity from various South Koreans. That happens all the time. The fact is that the United States does not believe that North Korea is on the verge of a collapse. We think North Korea is operating under severe strains, certainly economically because of the failure of their communist economic system, and the people are being subjugated to massive privation and food shortages. That is why were are responding with our food aid.

But I don't think any of our analysts would agree - or most of our analysts, I should say - would agree that the system is on the verge of a collapse, imminently in the next couple of days or couple of weeks. We do watch the situation there carefully because we have our 37,000 American troops in South Korea, and they are prepared to defend South Korea should that be necessary.

QUESTION: This fellow was calling for a five-nation committee to prepare for an eventual collapse. He didn't say it was --

MR. BURNS: I don't know anything about that proposal. I read about it, as you did, in the newspaper. I am not aware of any impetus to create such a committee. We will continue to consult with the South Korean Government and the Japanese Government as the best way to coordinate our policies towards North Korea.

QUESTION: Have U.S. officials debriefed the North Korean defector?

MR. BURNS: I will have to check. That is a very good question. We have been promised access to him by the South Koreans. I don't know if we have yet gained access. But it is a good question. It deserves an answer. Yes, Zita.

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