ID :
44065
Wed, 02/04/2009 - 09:34
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/44065
The shortlink copeid
Obama calls S. Korean President Lee to discuss N. Korea, other issues: White House
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has called South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to reaffirm their commitment to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons through six-party talks, the White House said Tuesday.
Obama placed the call Monday evening, days after he called Japanese Prime
Minister Taro Aso and Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss ways to cooperate
closely on the six-party talks and other issues of bilateral concern.
"The presidents also discussed North Korea and agreed to work closely as allies
and through the six-party talks to achieve the verifiable elimination of North
Korea's nuclear weapons and programs," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in
a statement.
Other issues discussed in the "warm and substantive talk" were strengthening the
bilateral alliance and cooperation in tackling the global economic crisis, Gibbs
said.
"The President conveyed his deep commitment to the United States-Republic of
Korea alliance," the spokesman said. "They discussed the current financial crisis
and agreed to work together, including at the G-20 Summit in London, to stabilize
the global economy, to spur growth, and to get credit markets flowing."
The North Korean issue was also a major topic in Obama's telephone conversations
with Aso and Hu as the new U.S. president "expressed appreciation for China's
role as Chair of the Six-Party Talks and the two sides affirmed the importance of
denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," according to the White House.
In the conversation with Aso, Obama also "agreed to work closely through the
six-party talks process" to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.
The latest round of the on-and-off six-party talks, which began in 2003, stalled
again in December as the North would not agree to a verification regime for its
nuclear facilities, insisting it will agree to a verification protocol in the
third and last phase of the nuclear deal.
The talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia are in
their second phase, in which North Korea is supposed to disable its nuclear
facilities in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, in return for 1 million tons of heavy
fuel oil or the equivalent.
The third phase calls for the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities and
programs in exchange for massive economic aid and diplomatic recognition by
Washington and Tokyo.
Obama has said he will continue the six-party talks while seeking more direct
engagement with the reclusive, nuclear-armed communist state, but has not yet
taken any concrete action, amid speculation that the North Korean nuclear issue
has been sidelined by the global economic crisis and the security challenges from
the Middle East.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 3 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama has called South Korean President Lee Myung-bak to reaffirm their commitment to dismantle North Korea's nuclear weapons through six-party talks, the White House said Tuesday.
Obama placed the call Monday evening, days after he called Japanese Prime
Minister Taro Aso and Chinese President Hu Jintao to discuss ways to cooperate
closely on the six-party talks and other issues of bilateral concern.
"The presidents also discussed North Korea and agreed to work closely as allies
and through the six-party talks to achieve the verifiable elimination of North
Korea's nuclear weapons and programs," White House spokesman Robert Gibbs said in
a statement.
Other issues discussed in the "warm and substantive talk" were strengthening the
bilateral alliance and cooperation in tackling the global economic crisis, Gibbs
said.
"The President conveyed his deep commitment to the United States-Republic of
Korea alliance," the spokesman said. "They discussed the current financial crisis
and agreed to work together, including at the G-20 Summit in London, to stabilize
the global economy, to spur growth, and to get credit markets flowing."
The North Korean issue was also a major topic in Obama's telephone conversations
with Aso and Hu as the new U.S. president "expressed appreciation for China's
role as Chair of the Six-Party Talks and the two sides affirmed the importance of
denuclearization of the Korean peninsula," according to the White House.
In the conversation with Aso, Obama also "agreed to work closely through the
six-party talks process" to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue.
The latest round of the on-and-off six-party talks, which began in 2003, stalled
again in December as the North would not agree to a verification regime for its
nuclear facilities, insisting it will agree to a verification protocol in the
third and last phase of the nuclear deal.
The talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia are in
their second phase, in which North Korea is supposed to disable its nuclear
facilities in Yongbyon, north of Pyongyang, in return for 1 million tons of heavy
fuel oil or the equivalent.
The third phase calls for the North to dismantle its nuclear facilities and
programs in exchange for massive economic aid and diplomatic recognition by
Washington and Tokyo.
Obama has said he will continue the six-party talks while seeking more direct
engagement with the reclusive, nuclear-armed communist state, but has not yet
taken any concrete action, amid speculation that the North Korean nuclear issue
has been sidelined by the global economic crisis and the security challenges from
the Middle East.
