ID :
45620
Sat, 02/14/2009 - 13:41
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/45620
The shortlink copeid
(LEAD) Clinton pledges to continue six-party talks to denuclearize N. Korea
WASHINGTON, Feb. 13 (Yonhap) -- U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton Friday reconfirmed that the Obama administration will continue six-party talks to denuclearize North Korea.
"We will need to work together to address the most acute challenge to stability
in Northeast Asia, North Korea's nuclear program," Clinton said in a forum in New
York two days before embarking on a four-nation Asian tour Sunday. "The Obama
administration is committed to working through the six-party talks, and I will
discuss with South Korea, Japan and China how best to get the negotiations back
on track."
The North Korean nuclear issue is among priorities in her Asian tour, her first
overseas travel since taking office in late January, as South Korea, China and
Japan are members of the six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear
ambitions.
The on-and-off multilateral talks, which began in 2003, stalled again in December
when North Korea would not agree to a verification procedure for its nuclear
facilities, saying it would agree to that at a later stage.
Barack Obama has said he will continue the talks and would not dismiss the
possibility of meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as part of bilateral
engagement to resolve concerns over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic
missiles.
"If North Korea is genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate
their nuclear weapons program, the Obama administration will be willing to
normalize bilateral relations, replace the peninsula's long-standing armistice
agreements with a permanent peace treaty, and assist in meeting the energy and
other economic needs of the North Korean people," Clinton said.
She was describing the benefits North Korea can get from six-party deals struck
in 2005 and 2007.
Clinton said earlier this week that she hoped the Obama administration will be
able to engage North Korea "in the weeks and months ahead" through bilateral and
multilateral talks.
She urged the North to return to the global nonproliferation regime as part of a
six-party deal for denuclearization.
"The North Korean government has committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and
to return at an early date to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons," she said. "We continue to hold them to those commitments."
The secretary, meanwhile, warned North Korea not to destabilize regional security
with repeated threats.
"We believe we have an opportunity to move these discussions forward, but it is
incumbent upon North Korea to avoid any provocative action and unhelpful
rhetoric towards South Korea," she said.
North Korea in recent weeks has been threatening South Korea with scrapping of
bilateral ties, nullification of a western sea border and a possible military
conflict, which analysts see as signals directed at the fledgling Obama
administration.
Stephen Bosworth, former ambassador to South Korea and currently dean of the
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said Friday that he has
been asked to serve as a special envoy to North Korea, and that the posting will
take effect in a few days.
Obama had named special envoys to the Middle East and Afghanistan and Pakistan,
respectively, raising speculation that North Korean issues have been sidelined by
more urgent issues such as the economic crisis and the Middle East.
Clinton also said she will discuss the economy and other regional and bilateral
issues in Asia while there next week.
"Like the financial crisis, other issues also require bilateral as well as
regional and global approaches," she said. "The United States is committed to
maintaining our historic security alliances in Asia and building on those
relationships to counter the complex global threats we face."
She thanked South Korea and Japan for having agreed to enhance their assistance
in Afghanistan, where Obama is poised to reinforce U.S. troops against the
Taliban insurgents gaining force in recent months.
"I'm very pleased that Japan and South Korea this week agreed to joint assistance
for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, and that both countries continue to
work with us on global security, especial in combatting piracy off the Horn of
Africa," she said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
"We will need to work together to address the most acute challenge to stability
in Northeast Asia, North Korea's nuclear program," Clinton said in a forum in New
York two days before embarking on a four-nation Asian tour Sunday. "The Obama
administration is committed to working through the six-party talks, and I will
discuss with South Korea, Japan and China how best to get the negotiations back
on track."
The North Korean nuclear issue is among priorities in her Asian tour, her first
overseas travel since taking office in late January, as South Korea, China and
Japan are members of the six-party talks on ending North Korea's nuclear
ambitions.
The on-and-off multilateral talks, which began in 2003, stalled again in December
when North Korea would not agree to a verification procedure for its nuclear
facilities, saying it would agree to that at a later stage.
Barack Obama has said he will continue the talks and would not dismiss the
possibility of meeting with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il as part of bilateral
engagement to resolve concerns over North Korea's nuclear weapons and ballistic
missiles.
"If North Korea is genuinely prepared to completely and verifiably eliminate
their nuclear weapons program, the Obama administration will be willing to
normalize bilateral relations, replace the peninsula's long-standing armistice
agreements with a permanent peace treaty, and assist in meeting the energy and
other economic needs of the North Korean people," Clinton said.
She was describing the benefits North Korea can get from six-party deals struck
in 2005 and 2007.
Clinton said earlier this week that she hoped the Obama administration will be
able to engage North Korea "in the weeks and months ahead" through bilateral and
multilateral talks.
She urged the North to return to the global nonproliferation regime as part of a
six-party deal for denuclearization.
"The North Korean government has committed to abandoning all nuclear weapons and
to return at an early date to the Treaty on Non-Proliferation of Nuclear
Weapons," she said. "We continue to hold them to those commitments."
The secretary, meanwhile, warned North Korea not to destabilize regional security
with repeated threats.
"We believe we have an opportunity to move these discussions forward, but it is
incumbent upon North Korea to avoid any provocative action and unhelpful
rhetoric towards South Korea," she said.
North Korea in recent weeks has been threatening South Korea with scrapping of
bilateral ties, nullification of a western sea border and a possible military
conflict, which analysts see as signals directed at the fledgling Obama
administration.
Stephen Bosworth, former ambassador to South Korea and currently dean of the
Fletcher School of Law and Diplomacy at Tufts University, said Friday that he has
been asked to serve as a special envoy to North Korea, and that the posting will
take effect in a few days.
Obama had named special envoys to the Middle East and Afghanistan and Pakistan,
respectively, raising speculation that North Korean issues have been sidelined by
more urgent issues such as the economic crisis and the Middle East.
Clinton also said she will discuss the economy and other regional and bilateral
issues in Asia while there next week.
"Like the financial crisis, other issues also require bilateral as well as
regional and global approaches," she said. "The United States is committed to
maintaining our historic security alliances in Asia and building on those
relationships to counter the complex global threats we face."
She thanked South Korea and Japan for having agreed to enhance their assistance
in Afghanistan, where Obama is poised to reinforce U.S. troops against the
Taliban insurgents gaining force in recent months.
"I'm very pleased that Japan and South Korea this week agreed to joint assistance
for reconstruction efforts in Afghanistan, and that both countries continue to
work with us on global security, especial in combatting piracy off the Horn of
Africa," she said.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
