Top S. Korean, U.S. diplomats agree to seek early summit

(ATTN: ADDS Clinton's comments; RESTRUCTURES; MODIFIES headline)
SEOUL, Jan. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan and his
new American counterpart Hillary Clinton agreed to push for an early summit
between their leaders during their telephone talks on Friday, the foreign
ministry said.

They also agreed to cooperate closely to bolster the two nations' alliance,
resolve the North Korean nuclear issue and overcome the financial crisis, it
added.
The 10-minute phone conversation was one of several routine courtesy calls made
by Secretary of State Clinton to her counterparts from Washington's major allies.
"They shared the opinion that it is desirable for the two nations to have a
summit or other high-level consultations at an early date for in-depth
discussions on the development of the alliance and major pending issues," the
ministry said in a press release. "They agreed to consult on details through
diplomatic channels."
Clinton also emphasized the importance of the Seoul-Washington alliance and
expressed hope for a resolution to the nuclear issue and co-prosperity of the two
sides, according to the ministry.
Yu, on a trip to Australia, delivered a congratulatory message to Clinton on her
new post, it said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
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