ID :
75080
Thu, 08/13/2009 - 11:27
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/75080
The shortlink copeid
U.S. to handle N. Korea bilaterally within 6-party framework: Rice
By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Wednesday it is willing to deal with North Korea bilaterally within the six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear ambitions.
"We're committed to the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula," U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice told MSNBC. "We're prepared to work
towards that end in the six-party talks and bilaterally, but only if the North
Koreans get serious and begin to implement the commitments they've already made."
The six-party deal, signed in September 2005 by the two Koreas, the U.S., China,
Japan and Russia, calls for the North to abandon its nuclear weapons programs in
return for massive economic aid, diplomatic recognition by the U.S. and Japan and
establishment of a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula to replace the
armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
Pyongyang recently said it will boycott the multilateral talks for good due to
U.N. Security Council sanctions for its recent nuclear and missile tests, calling
for direct talks with the U.S.
"What North Korea needs to recognize, not withstanding the Clinton visit and the
relief we all feel for the release of those two women journalists, is that they
have international obligations," Rice said. "They have violated those
obligations. They need to adhere to them."
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to Pyongyang last week
to win the release of two American journalists held for illegally entering the
North, and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il for more than three hours.
U.S. officials have dismissed the Clinton trip as a "private mission," warning
the U.S. will continue to sanction the North unless Pyongyang returns to the
six-party talks.
In this context, the Treasury Department Tuesday added the Korea Kwangson Banking
Corp. to its list of North Korean firms sanctioned for their involvement in the
North's weapons of mass destruction programs, which are banned by U.N.
resolutions adopted after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.
Rice welcomed the seizure of a North Korean ship last week by India and the role
of Myanmar in turning away a North Korean ship that apparently attempted to dock
at one of their ports recently.
"First of all, the sanctions that you referred to really are being well and fully
implemented by all the countries across the world," she said. "We saw a ship that
was heading to Burma turn back. We've seen the Indians step up their efforts and
a number of other instances. So these sanctions are tight. They're being
enforced. And we think they'll have an impact."
Talk, however, still abounds on the possibility of Clinton's trip leading to a
breakthrough in the bilateral ties and the stalled nuclear negotiations.
Allegations are that Kim Jong-il proposed a "grand deal" for a breakthrough in
the stalled nuclear negotiations and improved ties between the sides, and that
the U.S. and other parties to the multilateral talks are discussing a
"comprehensive package," a possible breakaway from a six-party deal that calls
for action for action in the North's nuclear dismantlement.
National Security Adviser James Jones said last week, "North Koreans have
indicated they would like a new relationship, a better relationship with the
United States ... We certainly hope it could lead to other good things, but we
won't know that for a while."
In a related move, Philip Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public
affairs, urged North Korea to "act more constructively" and "take affirmative
steps towards denuclearization."
In a daily news briefing, Crowley would not respond to a question if Washington
discussed with Beijing a contingency plan for North Korea in the event of a
leadership vacuum.
Reports said that China had rejected Washington's proposal for such talks,
apparently to avoid provoking the North, China's closest communist ally.
"They have a leadership in place," he said. "I'm not aware that there's any risk
at the present of having some sort of major dislocation. But obviously, the
United States, other countries in the region, have abiding interest in stability
in the region, and that would include stability in North Korea."
Based on his debriefing of Clinton on his rare lengthy meeting with Kim Jong-il,
Jones also said last week that the reclusive leader is "in full control" despite
rumors of his failing health after he apparently suffered a stroke last summer.
WASHINGTON, Aug. 12 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Wednesday it is willing to deal with North Korea bilaterally within the six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear ambitions.
"We're committed to the complete and verifiable denuclearization of the Korean
Peninsula," U.N. Ambassador Susan Rice told MSNBC. "We're prepared to work
towards that end in the six-party talks and bilaterally, but only if the North
Koreans get serious and begin to implement the commitments they've already made."
The six-party deal, signed in September 2005 by the two Koreas, the U.S., China,
Japan and Russia, calls for the North to abandon its nuclear weapons programs in
return for massive economic aid, diplomatic recognition by the U.S. and Japan and
establishment of a permanent peace regime on the Korean Peninsula to replace the
armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
Pyongyang recently said it will boycott the multilateral talks for good due to
U.N. Security Council sanctions for its recent nuclear and missile tests, calling
for direct talks with the U.S.
"What North Korea needs to recognize, not withstanding the Clinton visit and the
relief we all feel for the release of those two women journalists, is that they
have international obligations," Rice said. "They have violated those
obligations. They need to adhere to them."
Former U.S. President Bill Clinton made a surprise visit to Pyongyang last week
to win the release of two American journalists held for illegally entering the
North, and met with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il for more than three hours.
U.S. officials have dismissed the Clinton trip as a "private mission," warning
the U.S. will continue to sanction the North unless Pyongyang returns to the
six-party talks.
In this context, the Treasury Department Tuesday added the Korea Kwangson Banking
Corp. to its list of North Korean firms sanctioned for their involvement in the
North's weapons of mass destruction programs, which are banned by U.N.
resolutions adopted after Pyongyang's nuclear and missile tests.
Rice welcomed the seizure of a North Korean ship last week by India and the role
of Myanmar in turning away a North Korean ship that apparently attempted to dock
at one of their ports recently.
"First of all, the sanctions that you referred to really are being well and fully
implemented by all the countries across the world," she said. "We saw a ship that
was heading to Burma turn back. We've seen the Indians step up their efforts and
a number of other instances. So these sanctions are tight. They're being
enforced. And we think they'll have an impact."
Talk, however, still abounds on the possibility of Clinton's trip leading to a
breakthrough in the bilateral ties and the stalled nuclear negotiations.
Allegations are that Kim Jong-il proposed a "grand deal" for a breakthrough in
the stalled nuclear negotiations and improved ties between the sides, and that
the U.S. and other parties to the multilateral talks are discussing a
"comprehensive package," a possible breakaway from a six-party deal that calls
for action for action in the North's nuclear dismantlement.
National Security Adviser James Jones said last week, "North Koreans have
indicated they would like a new relationship, a better relationship with the
United States ... We certainly hope it could lead to other good things, but we
won't know that for a while."
In a related move, Philip Crowley, assistant secretary of state for public
affairs, urged North Korea to "act more constructively" and "take affirmative
steps towards denuclearization."
In a daily news briefing, Crowley would not respond to a question if Washington
discussed with Beijing a contingency plan for North Korea in the event of a
leadership vacuum.
Reports said that China had rejected Washington's proposal for such talks,
apparently to avoid provoking the North, China's closest communist ally.
"They have a leadership in place," he said. "I'm not aware that there's any risk
at the present of having some sort of major dislocation. But obviously, the
United States, other countries in the region, have abiding interest in stability
in the region, and that would include stability in North Korea."
Based on his debriefing of Clinton on his rare lengthy meeting with Kim Jong-il,
Jones also said last week that the reclusive leader is "in full control" despite
rumors of his failing health after he apparently suffered a stroke last summer.
