(LEAD) U.N. envoy says will talk about 6-way talks, U.N. sanctions with N. Korea

(ATTN: RECASTS headline, lead paras; UPDATES with additional remarks, more details)
By Byun Duk-kun
SEOUL, Feb. 6 (Yonhap) -- A special envoy of U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon
to North Korea on Saturday said he will talk about ways to resume six-nation
talks on ending North Korea's nuclear programs while visiting the communist state
next week.

Lynn Pascoe, under-secretary-general of the United Nations for political affairs,
refused to elaborate on whether he will discuss the possible removal of U.N.
sanctions on the North, but stressed his talks in North Korea will include the
"entire" range of issues.
A former U.S. ambassador to Indonesia, the 66-year-old arrived here earlier
Saturday ahead of his four-day trip to Pyongyang, the North Korean capital, from
Tuesday.
"I am here today to talk with South Korea, with (its) people, about the U.N.
relations with the ROK and we will talk about relational issues and we will also
talk some about the trip," the U.N. official told reporters before his meeting
here with Wi Sung-lac, Seoul's chief negotiator to the six-nation talks on ending
North Korea's nuclear program.
The ROK, or the Republic of Korea, is South Korea's official name.
Pascoe later called his discussions with Wi "excellent," and said they discussed
"things we may be doing together in the future."
The former U.S. diplomat is the first ranking official of the world body to visit
North Korea since the inauguration of the South Korea-born U.N. chief in 2007.
His trip is also drawing special attention as it follows Pyongyang's recent
demand for the removal of U.N. sanctions before its return to the six-nation
nuclear negotiations.
"We expect to talk about the entire range of issues while we are up there,"
Pascoe said when asked whether he will be discussing a possible removal of the
sanctions, imposed last year under a U.N. Security Council resolution that
followed the North's second detonation of a nuclear device.
The nuclear talks involve South and North Korea, the United States, Japan, China
and Russia.
The U.N. envoy was scheduled to meet Seoul's Vice Foreign Minister Chun Young-soo
later Saturday for lunch, followed by a dinner hosted by Foreign Minister Yu
Myung-hwan, according to officials at the foreign ministry.
He will leave Monday for China where he will likely catch a North Korean flight
to Pyongyang.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)

Delete & Prev | Delete & Next