ID :
47992
Fri, 02/27/2009 - 19:25
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/47992
The shortlink copeid
U.S. relations with N.K. not to come at expense of ties with S. Korea: Hill By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Feb. 26 (Yonhap) -- The United States Thursday reiterated that it will not develop ties with North Korea at the cost of relations with South Korea, urging the North to refrain from escalating tensions with provocations.
"The secretary made very clear in her press conference in Seoul that we are not
interested in developing relations with North Korea at the expense of relations
with South Korea," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said in a news
conference at the National Press Center. "And she also made very clear our view
that North Korea should be doing much more to work on its relationship with South
Korea."
While in Seoul last week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged North
Korea to refrain from threatening South Korea with words and actions she
described as "unhelpful" in forming relations with the Obama administration.
North Korea's recent threats to cut off ties, nullify a western sea border and
fire a ballistic missile and warning of an imminent military conflict are seen as
an attempt to draw the Barack Obama administration's attention as the fledgling
administration formulates its North Korea policy.
Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea, said earlier in the day
that he will be visiting Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow early next week to
discuss resumption of six-party talks, which are stalled over North Korea's
refusal to agree to a verification protocol for its nuclear facilities.
Hill said that "Some of the North Korean statements about the situation or the
relationship with South Korea, and in particular their statements about the South
Korean president, are really quite inappropriate and quite unhelpful to moving
forward."
The outgoing assistant secretary, reportedly tapped as U.S. ambassador to Iraq,
said that Washington wants progress in the multilateral nuclear talks, but added,
"You know, North Korea has a responsibility to improve its relations with its
neighbors."
"Part of what we do in the six-party talks is to build a neighborhood. And if one
member of the neighborhood is constantly casting stones at other members of the
neighborhood, this is not conducive to what we're trying to build," he said. "So
I think we feel in this current context that this is time to work very closely
and intensify our bilateral ties to South Korea."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
"The secretary made very clear in her press conference in Seoul that we are not
interested in developing relations with North Korea at the expense of relations
with South Korea," Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill said in a news
conference at the National Press Center. "And she also made very clear our view
that North Korea should be doing much more to work on its relationship with South
Korea."
While in Seoul last week, U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton urged North
Korea to refrain from threatening South Korea with words and actions she
described as "unhelpful" in forming relations with the Obama administration.
North Korea's recent threats to cut off ties, nullify a western sea border and
fire a ballistic missile and warning of an imminent military conflict are seen as
an attempt to draw the Barack Obama administration's attention as the fledgling
administration formulates its North Korea policy.
Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea, said earlier in the day
that he will be visiting Seoul, Beijing, Tokyo and Moscow early next week to
discuss resumption of six-party talks, which are stalled over North Korea's
refusal to agree to a verification protocol for its nuclear facilities.
Hill said that "Some of the North Korean statements about the situation or the
relationship with South Korea, and in particular their statements about the South
Korean president, are really quite inappropriate and quite unhelpful to moving
forward."
The outgoing assistant secretary, reportedly tapped as U.S. ambassador to Iraq,
said that Washington wants progress in the multilateral nuclear talks, but added,
"You know, North Korea has a responsibility to improve its relations with its
neighbors."
"Part of what we do in the six-party talks is to build a neighborhood. And if one
member of the neighborhood is constantly casting stones at other members of the
neighborhood, this is not conducive to what we're trying to build," he said. "So
I think we feel in this current context that this is time to work very closely
and intensify our bilateral ties to South Korea."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)
