(2nd LD) Obama seeks support from China for N. Korea's denuclearization

(ATTN: ADDS remarks by Clinton, State Dept. spokesman throughout)
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, July 27 (Yonhap) -- U.S. President Barack Obama Monday called on
China to cooperate with the United States in efforts to denuclearize North Korea
and urged the North to abide by its pledge of nuclear disarmament made under a
six-party deal.
"Neither America nor China has an interest in a terrorist acquiring a bomb, or a
nuclear arms race breaking out in East Asia," Obama said during the opening
session of the two-day U.S.-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue held at the
Ronald Regan Building here. "That is why we must continue our collaboration to
achieve the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula, and make it clear to North
Korea that the path to security and respect can be traveled if they meet their
obligations."
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton and Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner
represented the U.S. side in the first strategic dialogue between the world's two
major powers. Their Chinese counterparts are State Councilor Dai Bingguo and Vice
Premier Wang Qishan.
Obama's remarks came just hours after North Korea's Foreign Ministry issued a
statement earlier in the day proposing a fresh dialogue with the U.S. while
reiterating its pledge not to attend the six-party talks involving the two
Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.
"The six-party talks were consequently reduced to a platform for blocking even
the DPRK's development of science and technology for peaceful purposes and
curbing the normal progress of its economy," the ministry's statement said,
denouncing other parties to the multilateral talks for trying to "take advantage
of these six-party talks to seek their ulterior aims to disarm and incapacitate"
North Korea.
In place of the often troubled six-way talks, the North appeared to propose a
bilateral dialogue with the U.S. by saying, "There is a specific and reserved
form of dialogue that can address the current situation."
The remarks echo similar statements made by senior North Korean diplomats in past
days.
North Korea's U.N. Ambassador Sin Son-ho told reporters this past weekend that
the "six-party talks are gone forever," but added that Pyongyang is ready to talk
to Washington.
"We are not against a dialogue," Sin said. "We are not against any negotiation
for the issues of common concern."
North Korean Ambassador Ri Hung-sik, part of a delegation sent to a regional
security forum in Phuket, Thailand last week, said the "six-party talks are
already dead," a result of Washington's "hostile policy" toward Pyongyang. He
added, however, that Pyongyang was open to direct talks with the U.S.
U.S. State Department spokesman Ian Kelly rebuffed North Korea's proposal for
bilateral talks.
"Our long-standing policy is that we are open to a bilateral dialogue, but only
in the context of the six-party talks only in a multilateral context," Kelly said
in a daily news briefing.
In the strategic dialogue with Chinese officials, Clinton echoed Obama's theme,
saying "China and the United States both appreciate the dangers of escalating
tensions and a prospective arms race in East Asia. And we both are going to work
against the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction."
She expressed satisfaction with China's cooperation in dealing with North Korea.
"Already we have cooperated very closely together," she said. "And we are
grateful to the Chinese government and their leadership, in establishing the
six-party talks and its close cooperation with us, in response to the North
Korean missile launches."
It is the second time as many days that the top U.S. diplomat praised China.
Appearing on NBC's "Meet the Press" Sunday, Clinton lauded China's role in the
North Korean denuclearization process as being "extremely positive and
productive."
"We have been extremely gratified by their forward-leaning commitment to
sanctions and the private messages they have conveyed to the North Koreans," she
told NBC. "They (North Koreans) don't have any friends left. I think they are
very isolated now. I saw that when I was at the ASEAN meeting, the Association of
Southeast Asian Nations."
China, Pyongyang's staunchest ally, is considered key to the implementation of
any sanctions on isolated and impoverished North Korea, which relies heavily on
its communist neighbor for energy, food and other items.
Beijing has been lukewarm towards implementing previous sanctions under U.N.
resolutions against North Korea for fear of destabilizing the country, which
could prompt a flood of refugees and undermine regional security at a time when
China is trying to emerge as a major economic power.
Clinton has over the past week repeatedly urged the North to return to the
six-party talks, while pledging that Washington will neither accept "half
measures" nor reward "their behavior," referring to the North's recent nuclear
and missile tests, as well as its threats to end the six-party talks and stage a
nuclear war.
North Korea conducted a long-range rocket launch on April 5 that was followed by
its second nuclear test in May, which resulted in the U.N. Security Council
imposing financial sanctions, an overall arms embargo and cargo interdictions on
the high seas to prevent proliferation of North Korea's weapons of mass
destruction.
Clinton also said in Phuket last week that North Korea "will face international
isolation and the unrelenting pressure of global sanctions" until it agrees to
denuclearization.
In a war of words, North Korea's Ri dismissed as "nonsense" Clinton's statement
that "full normalization of relations, a permanent peace regime, and significant
energy and economic assistance are all possible in the context of full and
verifiable denuclearization."
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)