ID :
80470
Thu, 09/17/2009 - 15:43
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/80470
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U.S. expected to decide soon on direct talks with N.K.: Seoul minister
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- The United States is expected to decide soon on
whether to hold bilateral talks with North Korea on its denuclearization, based
on consultations with other partners in the six-party framework, Seoul's foreign
minister said Thursday.
The U.S. announced last week that it will soon undertake negotiations with North
Korea as part of efforts to bring the communist state back to the suspended
multilateral talks. Pyongyang has boycotted the forum, claiming it was being used
to infringe on its sovereign right to develop nuclear and space technology.
"We expect that the U.S. will decide on the bilateral talks based on the results
of consultations among the five remaining parties," Foreign Minister Yu
Myung-hwan told lawmakers at a meeting of the foreign affairs committee. South
and North Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan are members of the six-nation
forum.
The minister said all parties, except for the North, agree that the six-party
apparatus remains "useful," but the U.S. and the North could engage in bilateral
talks to push forward the stalled larger forum.
Yu also stated that Seoul will continue to implement U.N. sanctions on North
Korea unless the communist state takes concrete steps to dismantle its nuclear
program. The sanctions were imposed after Pyongyang's long-range rocket launch in
April and a second nuclear test the following month.
He stressed that Seoul and Washington will maintain a close consultative
relationship regarding the pending meeting between the U.S. and North Korea.
Pyongyang invited Stephen Bosworth, Washington's special representative for North
Korea policy, early last month when former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited
Pyongyang to obtain the release of two American journalists.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hinted Tuesday that she may send
Bosworth, saying the U.S. was "in the process of exploring" the matter with other
members of the six-party talks.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
SEOUL, Sept. 17 (Yonhap) -- The United States is expected to decide soon on
whether to hold bilateral talks with North Korea on its denuclearization, based
on consultations with other partners in the six-party framework, Seoul's foreign
minister said Thursday.
The U.S. announced last week that it will soon undertake negotiations with North
Korea as part of efforts to bring the communist state back to the suspended
multilateral talks. Pyongyang has boycotted the forum, claiming it was being used
to infringe on its sovereign right to develop nuclear and space technology.
"We expect that the U.S. will decide on the bilateral talks based on the results
of consultations among the five remaining parties," Foreign Minister Yu
Myung-hwan told lawmakers at a meeting of the foreign affairs committee. South
and North Korea, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan are members of the six-nation
forum.
The minister said all parties, except for the North, agree that the six-party
apparatus remains "useful," but the U.S. and the North could engage in bilateral
talks to push forward the stalled larger forum.
Yu also stated that Seoul will continue to implement U.N. sanctions on North
Korea unless the communist state takes concrete steps to dismantle its nuclear
program. The sanctions were imposed after Pyongyang's long-range rocket launch in
April and a second nuclear test the following month.
He stressed that Seoul and Washington will maintain a close consultative
relationship regarding the pending meeting between the U.S. and North Korea.
Pyongyang invited Stephen Bosworth, Washington's special representative for North
Korea policy, early last month when former U.S. President Bill Clinton visited
Pyongyang to obtain the release of two American journalists.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton hinted Tuesday that she may send
Bosworth, saying the U.S. was "in the process of exploring" the matter with other
members of the six-party talks.
odissy@yna.co.kr
(END)
