ID :
24794
Thu, 10/16/2008 - 10:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/24794
The shortlink copeid
No date set for next 6-way nuclear talks: State Dept.
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- A date has not yet been set for the next round of six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions, despite a recent breakthrough on verification of North Korea's nuclear facilities, the State Department said Wednesday.
"I don't have a date yet," spokesman Sean McCormack told a daily news briefing.
"I asked this before we came out here, and we do not have a date yet for the
meeting."
The U.S. Saturday announced that North Korea had agreed to allow access to its
nuclear facilities and undeclared sites, by "mutual consent," by U.S. and other
international inspectors. That was a major breakthrough in the denuclearization
talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
Washington then lifted the North from the U.S. list of state sponsors of
terrorism, and Pyongyang responded by resuming disabling of its nuclear
facilities, which it stopped in August.
The six-party talks last were held in July when North Korea agreed to disable its
nuclear facilities by the end of October in return for one million tons of energy
or equivalent aid to be provided by that time.
McCormack also said that seals are being reapplied to North Korea's nuclear
facilities as part of the disabling process.
"The trend line is people are reapplying seals, equipment's being put back," he
said. "They're getting back to that baseline of Yongbyon (the nuclear complex)
being disabled."
McCormack also urged North Korea to address Japan's demand that several Japanese
citizens kidnapped decades ago be returned.
"We're absolutely committed to seeing this issue resolved," he said. "They also
have not resolved outstanding issues with Japan."
"These are tough, emotional issues that need to be resolved," he said. "You know,
the pain of these families needs to be addressed, and they need to be given some
-- some comfort and some answers to these questions."
Japan has expressed opposition to the U.S. lifting North Korea from its terrorism
blacklist, citing the kidnapping issue.
North Korea, for its part, insists that it has returned five abductees and that
the other eight are dead, which Japan said it does not believe.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
WASHINGTON, Oct. 15 (Yonhap) -- A date has not yet been set for the next round of six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear ambitions, despite a recent breakthrough on verification of North Korea's nuclear facilities, the State Department said Wednesday.
"I don't have a date yet," spokesman Sean McCormack told a daily news briefing.
"I asked this before we came out here, and we do not have a date yet for the
meeting."
The U.S. Saturday announced that North Korea had agreed to allow access to its
nuclear facilities and undeclared sites, by "mutual consent," by U.S. and other
international inspectors. That was a major breakthrough in the denuclearization
talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
Washington then lifted the North from the U.S. list of state sponsors of
terrorism, and Pyongyang responded by resuming disabling of its nuclear
facilities, which it stopped in August.
The six-party talks last were held in July when North Korea agreed to disable its
nuclear facilities by the end of October in return for one million tons of energy
or equivalent aid to be provided by that time.
McCormack also said that seals are being reapplied to North Korea's nuclear
facilities as part of the disabling process.
"The trend line is people are reapplying seals, equipment's being put back," he
said. "They're getting back to that baseline of Yongbyon (the nuclear complex)
being disabled."
McCormack also urged North Korea to address Japan's demand that several Japanese
citizens kidnapped decades ago be returned.
"We're absolutely committed to seeing this issue resolved," he said. "They also
have not resolved outstanding issues with Japan."
"These are tough, emotional issues that need to be resolved," he said. "You know,
the pain of these families needs to be addressed, and they need to be given some
-- some comfort and some answers to these questions."
Japan has expressed opposition to the U.S. lifting North Korea from its terrorism
blacklist, citing the kidnapping issue.
North Korea, for its part, insists that it has returned five abductees and that
the other eight are dead, which Japan said it does not believe.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
