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U.S. Department of State

Daily Press Briefing

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You all asked yesterday about the United States' talks with the North Koreans, how we're going to handle that. I can say that the talks began yesterday. They are headed on our side by Deputy Assistant Secretary Bob Einhorn. They are continuing today and tomorrow.

I am not going to be providing an assessment of how the talks are going. We will do that at the end of the talks. We will do it in New York, probably at around 6:00 p.m. tomorrow night.

I apologize for the hour, but that is when the talks are ending. Senior officials from our delegation will provide a background briefing at the foreign press center in New York City tomorrow night, and that will be late afternoon, probably around 6:00 p.m. You can call the New York foreign press office tomorrow or our press office here for further details on when that will be, if you are interested in the North Korea-U.S. missile talks. Barry.

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QUESTION: Can you confirm the story in The Washington Post today given by American officials which makes four points. Number one, that the United States detected the movement of the missiles towards the border. Secondly, the U.S. protectionism was aroused. Thirdly, Mr. Gujral said that this was done by the military officers without his knowledge. And fourthly, he canceled the movement and now everything is fine.

Would you confirm these details given to The Washington Post by, not by intelligence but by American officials?

MR. BURNS: Well, I don't wish to confirm all those things. I read Jeff Smith's insert in the article. We don't confirm everything that you read in the newspapers. I don't want --

QUESTION: It's not intelligence.

MR. BURNS: Well, I don't know it's not intelligence. I just can't get into diplomatic communications. I obviously can't get into intelligence, but here is what I can say. It is very clear to us in our recent contacts with both India and Pakistan that both countries are fully aware of our position on the development and deployment of ballistic missiles in South Asia. The United States has long held the view that the deployment or acquisition of ballistic missiles by India or Pakistan would be destabilizing and undermine the security of both countries.

Now, I know that Prime Minister Gujral has said that the missiles have not been deployed. We do not dispute that assertion. We just think that these long-standing differences of view and suspicions between India and Pakistan have strongly influenced the decision-making of both countries on what they see as their vital national security interests.

Our belief is that it makes best sense for India and Pakistan for the prime ministers and foreign ministers to continue with their efforts to reduce tensions between them and to meet together and to try to find a basis for peace between India and Pakistan in the future. That is our very strong advice and we are friends with both countries. We certainly encourage both Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif and Prime Minister Gujral to continue their efforts towards peace.

QUESTION: In the Indian media there is the strong train of thought that these leaks are inspired because they seem to come at a very crucial time. The India and Pakistani foreign secretaries are to meet. There are several people who believe that despite Gujral's assertion, despite the State Department's refusal to confirm, that these leaks are continuing. Could you sort of comment on that because it's really re-shaping the atmosphere?

MR. BURNS: I don't like leaks and governments don't constitutionally advocate leaks, and I can't account for leaks. I can account for what we say from this podium and I can certainly tell you what the Secretary of State thinks. She very much wants to support the recent decisions and moves by India and Pakistan to talk with each other and to try to reduce tensions. That is what Secretary Albright believes. I would respectfully submit you ought to pay more attention to her views than some people who talk on background.

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QUESTION: Korea missile talks. What is your position of North Korea's chemical weapon development? It is one of the issues you are talking right now?

MR. BURNS: These are proliferation talks, so they encompass both ballistic missile and any kind of concerns that we would have with other proliferation activities, fissile material, anything that came into play. Although we believe that - we know the agreed framework is currently in place and that North Korea's nuclear activities have been frozen.

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