N. Korea denies alleged involvement in sinking of S. Korea ship+

GYEONGJU, South Korea, May 14 Kyodo -
North Korean leader Kim Jong Il denied Pyongyang's alleged involvement in the
sinking of a South Korean warship during his visit to China in early May,
sources close to six-party denuclearization talks said Friday.
''North Korea has maintained that it has nothing to do with the sinking'' of
the 1,200-ton patrol ship Cheonan in late March, the sources quoted China as
telling South Korea, the United States, Japan and other countries about Kim's
visit to China from May 3 to 7.
China indicated that Kim and Chinese President Hu Jintao discussed the issue
during talks in Beijing, the sources said.
North Korea is suspected to be responsible for the incident, which occurred
near the South's western sea border with the North and killed 46 sailors. An
international investigation team has yet to determine the cause.
During the China trip, Kim did not respond to Beijing's three-step proposal to
resume the stalled six-party talks on North Korea's nuclear programs, according
to the sources.
As China failed to win Kim's agreement to the proposal, some involved in the
multilateral nuclear talks said North Korea ''effectively moved back its
position'' on the denuclearization process.
The sinking of the Cheonan and the six-way talks are likely to top the agenda
when foreign ministers of Japan, China and South Korea meet this weekend in
Gyeongju, southeastern South Korea.
South Korean officials said Seoul will announce results of the ongoing
investigation in the Cheonan case around May 20.
In February, China sounded out other six-party members -- North and South
Korea, Japan, Russia and the United States -- on a three-step proposal to
revive the six-party talks, which Pyongyang quit last year.
The formula would be spearheaded by a resumption of U.S.-North Korean talks to
be followed by a preparatory session involving the six nations that would lead
to a formal resumption of the six-way talks.
North Korea initially told China that it intends to join a preparatory session
on the condition that bilateral talks with the United States be held.
North Korea has said it wants U.N. sanctions on the country lifted and talks
with the United States on a peace treaty to formally end the 1950-1953 Korean
War before it rejoins the six-party talks.
==Kyodo
2010-05-14 23:18:58


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