ID :
58902
Tue, 05/05/2009 - 07:37
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/58902
The shortlink copeid
Ban urges N. Korea to return to 6-way talks
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, May 4 (Yonhap) -- U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks, which he described are the best mechanism for peaceful denuclearization of North Korea.
"With respect to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, despite the current
serious challenges, I continue to believe that the six-party process is the best
mechanism to achieve the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a
peaceful manner," Ban told the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the
2010 NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) Review Conference, held at U.N.
headquarters in New York, according to a transcript posted at the U.N. Web site.
DPRK is North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
North Korea has threatened to boycott the six-party talks in anger over the U.N.
Security Council's condemnation of North Korea's April 5 rocket launch and
imposition of financial and trade embargoes on three North Korean firms for their
involvement in the trade of parts for missile and other weapons of mass
destruction.
"I therefore urge the DPRK to return to these talks so that everybody can resolve
their respective concerns through dialogue and cooperation, based on the relevant
Security Council resolutions as well as multilateral and bilateral agreements,"
Ban said.
North Korea insists it has launched a satellite into space, although the U.S. and
its allies see the launch as a disguised ballistic missile test.
North Korea threatened to conduct further nuclear and ballistic missile tests and
restart its nuclear facilities, being disabled under a six-party deal, unless the
U.N. apologizes for the rebuke.
Gary Samore, U.S. President Barack Obama's policy coordinator on weapons of mass
destruction nonproliferation, recently said that he believes North Korea will
conduct another nuclear test, adding that the multilateral nuclear talks will
falter for a while.
North Korea detonated its first nuclear device in 2006, a test that the U.S. and
its allies see as a partial success, and fired long-range rockets in 1998, 2006
and 2009.
Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for North Korea, tried to visit
Pyongyang in early March as part of his Asian tour to help revive the stalled
six-party talks, but the North refused to accept him for unknown reasons.
The talks have been deadlocked since December over how to verify North Korea's
past and current nuclear activities.
Reports said that Bosworth will travel to South Korea, China, Japan and Russia
late this week on his second Asian tour since his appointment in February,
although the State Department has not yet confirmed his possible trip to Asia.
Some analysts see the rejection as a strategy to up the ante ahead of bilateral
talks with the U.S. on the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
North Korea reportedly fears China's growing influence. China has invested
heavily in its reclusive communist neighbor, providing fuel, grain and other
necessities as its biggest trading partner. China also has played a pivotal role
as host of the six-party talks since their inception in 2003.
WASHINGTON, May 4 (Yonhap) -- U.N. Secretary General Ban Ki-moon Monday urged North Korea to return to the six-party talks, which he described are the best mechanism for peaceful denuclearization of North Korea.
"With respect to the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, despite the current
serious challenges, I continue to believe that the six-party process is the best
mechanism to achieve the verifiable denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula in a
peaceful manner," Ban told the Third Session of the Preparatory Committee for the
2010 NPT (Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty) Review Conference, held at U.N.
headquarters in New York, according to a transcript posted at the U.N. Web site.
DPRK is North Korea's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
North Korea has threatened to boycott the six-party talks in anger over the U.N.
Security Council's condemnation of North Korea's April 5 rocket launch and
imposition of financial and trade embargoes on three North Korean firms for their
involvement in the trade of parts for missile and other weapons of mass
destruction.
"I therefore urge the DPRK to return to these talks so that everybody can resolve
their respective concerns through dialogue and cooperation, based on the relevant
Security Council resolutions as well as multilateral and bilateral agreements,"
Ban said.
North Korea insists it has launched a satellite into space, although the U.S. and
its allies see the launch as a disguised ballistic missile test.
North Korea threatened to conduct further nuclear and ballistic missile tests and
restart its nuclear facilities, being disabled under a six-party deal, unless the
U.N. apologizes for the rebuke.
Gary Samore, U.S. President Barack Obama's policy coordinator on weapons of mass
destruction nonproliferation, recently said that he believes North Korea will
conduct another nuclear test, adding that the multilateral nuclear talks will
falter for a while.
North Korea detonated its first nuclear device in 2006, a test that the U.S. and
its allies see as a partial success, and fired long-range rockets in 1998, 2006
and 2009.
Stephen Bosworth, U.S. special representative for North Korea, tried to visit
Pyongyang in early March as part of his Asian tour to help revive the stalled
six-party talks, but the North refused to accept him for unknown reasons.
The talks have been deadlocked since December over how to verify North Korea's
past and current nuclear activities.
Reports said that Bosworth will travel to South Korea, China, Japan and Russia
late this week on his second Asian tour since his appointment in February,
although the State Department has not yet confirmed his possible trip to Asia.
Some analysts see the rejection as a strategy to up the ante ahead of bilateral
talks with the U.S. on the North's nuclear and ballistic missile programs.
North Korea reportedly fears China's growing influence. China has invested
heavily in its reclusive communist neighbor, providing fuel, grain and other
necessities as its biggest trading partner. China also has played a pivotal role
as host of the six-party talks since their inception in 2003.
