ID :
26573
Sat, 10/25/2008 - 20:23
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/26573
The shortlink copeid
Lee asks for ASEM support for N. Korean denuclearization
By Yoo Cheong-mo
BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday
asked the more than 40 Asian and European leaders attending the Asia-Europe
Meeting (ASEM) summit here to actively support his policy bid to denuclearize
North Korea through the stimulation of various inter-Korean economic cooperation
projects.
In a speech at a working luncheon of ASEM leaders, Lee also called for greater
global support for his campaign to link the two Koreas by natural gas pipelines
and railways, which will eventually extend to Russia and Europe.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons are a serious threat to the whole world, as well
as to South Korea," Lee said, asking the European and Asian leaders to show a
greater interest in the denuclearization of the communist North.
"While persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, South Korea
is promoting mutual prosperity and co-existence and measures to maintain peace on
the Korean Peninsula. One of the measures is to connect South Korean railways
with European railways via North Korea and Russia," said the president.
Lee then gave a detailed explanation of his policy efforts to import Russian
natural gas through a North Korean pipeline and discussed a concerted
international effort to denuclearize North Korea.
"The U.S., South Korea, China, Russia and Japan are now in the process of
verifying North Korea's declared nuclear programs. In the next stage, the five
countries will patiently attempt to scrap the North Korean nuclear weapons
program."
Lee and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed at their summit in Moscow in
September to ship Russian natural gas through a pipeline to South Korea via North
Korea starting in 2015.
Under the contract signed between Korea Gas Corp. and Russia's Gazprom, the
Russian side is to send at least 7.5 million tons of natural gas annually for a
period of 30 years through a long-distance pipeline running from Vladivostok in
Russia's far east to South Korea through North Korea.
Diplomats say that the proposed railway link between the two Koreas and Europe
via Russia would also help boost global peace and ease tensions in Northeast
Asia, as well as on the Korean Peninsula.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)
BEIJING, Oct. 25 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak on Saturday
asked the more than 40 Asian and European leaders attending the Asia-Europe
Meeting (ASEM) summit here to actively support his policy bid to denuclearize
North Korea through the stimulation of various inter-Korean economic cooperation
projects.
In a speech at a working luncheon of ASEM leaders, Lee also called for greater
global support for his campaign to link the two Koreas by natural gas pipelines
and railways, which will eventually extend to Russia and Europe.
"North Korea's nuclear weapons are a serious threat to the whole world, as well
as to South Korea," Lee said, asking the European and Asian leaders to show a
greater interest in the denuclearization of the communist North.
"While persuading North Korea to give up its nuclear weapons program, South Korea
is promoting mutual prosperity and co-existence and measures to maintain peace on
the Korean Peninsula. One of the measures is to connect South Korean railways
with European railways via North Korea and Russia," said the president.
Lee then gave a detailed explanation of his policy efforts to import Russian
natural gas through a North Korean pipeline and discussed a concerted
international effort to denuclearize North Korea.
"The U.S., South Korea, China, Russia and Japan are now in the process of
verifying North Korea's declared nuclear programs. In the next stage, the five
countries will patiently attempt to scrap the North Korean nuclear weapons
program."
Lee and Russian President Dmitry Medvedev agreed at their summit in Moscow in
September to ship Russian natural gas through a pipeline to South Korea via North
Korea starting in 2015.
Under the contract signed between Korea Gas Corp. and Russia's Gazprom, the
Russian side is to send at least 7.5 million tons of natural gas annually for a
period of 30 years through a long-distance pipeline running from Vladivostok in
Russia's far east to South Korea through North Korea.
Diplomats say that the proposed railway link between the two Koreas and Europe
via Russia would also help boost global peace and ease tensions in Northeast
Asia, as well as on the Korean Peninsula.
ycm@yna.co.kr
(END)
