S. Korea eyes greater regional cooperation on N. Korean nukes

By Lee Chi-dong
SEOUL, Sept. 2 (Yonhap) -- South Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kwon Jong-rak
called Wednesday for regional powers to resume six-way talks on North Korea's
nuclear program and to "substantially" improve bilateral relations between one
another.
Delivering a speech at the opening of the 7th East Asia Forum, he stressed that a
resolution to the nuclear crisis through the multilateral negotiations is
essential to greater cooperation in the creation of an East Asian community.
"Peacefully resolving the North Korean nuclear issue through the six-party talks
will contribute to the co-prosperity of East Asian nations and serve as a basis
for the formation of the East Asian community by facilitating the security
cooperation mechanism in Northeast Asia," Kwon said. The annual conference drew
dozens of government officials, scholars and economists from the 10 ASEAN member
countries plus China, South Korea and Japan, three of the members to the
six-party talks.
The talks, also joined by the U.S. and Russia, are in a drawn-out stalemate due
to Pyongyang's refusal to return to the multilateral forum as it apparently seeks
one-on-one talks with Washington.
The vice foreign minister said, "Bilateral relations among all the participants
in the six-way talks should be improved substantially."
He added South Korea will continue efforts to promote better ties with Southeast
Asian nations in line with the "New Asia Diplomacy" under the Lee Myung-bak
government.
In March, Lee declared Seoul's diplomatic drive for closer cooperation with Asian
neighbors, especially ASEAN members.
"South Korea is cementing cooperation with East Asian nations to jointly cope
with the global financial crisis, climate change, food and energy shortages, and
poverty," Kwon said. "As part of such efforts, South Korea plans to share its
vision of 'low-carbon, green growth' with regional countries."
lcd@yna.co.kr
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