ID :
81409
Thu, 09/24/2009 - 09:30
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://www.oananews.org//node/81409
The shortlink copeid
Lee and Hu discuss denuclearization of N. Korea
By Byun Duk-kun
NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao on Wednesday sought ways to bring North Korea back to denuclearization talks and a means to address Pyongyang's nuclear issue, Seoul officials said.
The bilateral summit, held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly here,
follows Lee's proposal for a package deal to dismantle the North's nuclear
weapons programs.
"President Lee noted China's recent efforts to encourage North Korea's return to
dialogue through visits by its ranking officials to the North, as the two heads
of state agreed to continue working together for a fundamental solution to the
North Korean nuclear issue," Lee's office, Cheong Wa Dae, said in a press
release.
North Korea had been part of six-nation talks that also involve South Korea, the
United States, Japan, China and Russia, but in April declared its withdrawal from
the Beijing-based negotiations.
The Chinese president said Pyongyang was beginning to show an "active" interest
in talking to Seoul and Washington, also noting the outcome of a recent visit by
his special envoy, Dai Bingguo, to Pyongyang last week.
In a meeting with Dai, a state councilor, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il said
his country was open to both bilateral and multilateral talks on his country's
nuclear programs, Hu told the South Korean president.
"However, this does not mean President Hu was referring to the six-party
negotiations when he mentioned multilateral talks," Lee Dong-kwan, top secretary
to the South Korean president for public relations, told reporters.
The South Korean leader explained his latest proposal for a "grand bargain" with
North Korea, a deal that seeks the North's complete denuclearization in a single
step in exchange for a full range of incentives.
"President Lee said the proposed deal will help convince North Korea to give up
its nuclear weapons not piece by piece, but in a single step by providing
security guarantees to the North," the presidential secretary said.
Pyongyang agreed in 2005 to give up its nuclear development, but has repeatedly
reversed the denuclearization process when negotiations with the international
community became deadlocked over rewards.
Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, Lee called the
North's method of giving up only thin slices of concessions for large incentives
-- while keeping most of its weapons program intact -- a "salami tactic."
"We must not repeat the mistake we have committed for the past 20 years, allowing
the North Korean nuclear issue to return to its starting point by agreeing to
reward North Korea for agreements that can easily be reversed," he said.
Lee and Hu also discussed ways to improve the bilateral ties between their
countries, agreeing to continue seeking joint efforts to fight the global
financial crisis.
Hu expressed support for Seoul's hosting of a fourth G-20 summit, saying he was
"satisfied" with the level of cooperation between his country and Korea on
international and regional issues, according to the South Korean presidential
secretary.
Both the South Korean and Chinese leaders are set to arrive in Pittsburgh later
in the week for the G-20 economic summit.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
NEW YORK, Sept. 23 (Yonhap) -- South Korean President Lee Myung-bak and his Chinese counterpart Hu Jintao on Wednesday sought ways to bring North Korea back to denuclearization talks and a means to address Pyongyang's nuclear issue, Seoul officials said.
The bilateral summit, held on the sidelines of the U.N. General Assembly here,
follows Lee's proposal for a package deal to dismantle the North's nuclear
weapons programs.
"President Lee noted China's recent efforts to encourage North Korea's return to
dialogue through visits by its ranking officials to the North, as the two heads
of state agreed to continue working together for a fundamental solution to the
North Korean nuclear issue," Lee's office, Cheong Wa Dae, said in a press
release.
North Korea had been part of six-nation talks that also involve South Korea, the
United States, Japan, China and Russia, but in April declared its withdrawal from
the Beijing-based negotiations.
The Chinese president said Pyongyang was beginning to show an "active" interest
in talking to Seoul and Washington, also noting the outcome of a recent visit by
his special envoy, Dai Bingguo, to Pyongyang last week.
In a meeting with Dai, a state councilor, North Korean leader Kim Jong-il said
his country was open to both bilateral and multilateral talks on his country's
nuclear programs, Hu told the South Korean president.
"However, this does not mean President Hu was referring to the six-party
negotiations when he mentioned multilateral talks," Lee Dong-kwan, top secretary
to the South Korean president for public relations, told reporters.
The South Korean leader explained his latest proposal for a "grand bargain" with
North Korea, a deal that seeks the North's complete denuclearization in a single
step in exchange for a full range of incentives.
"President Lee said the proposed deal will help convince North Korea to give up
its nuclear weapons not piece by piece, but in a single step by providing
security guarantees to the North," the presidential secretary said.
Pyongyang agreed in 2005 to give up its nuclear development, but has repeatedly
reversed the denuclearization process when negotiations with the international
community became deadlocked over rewards.
Speaking at a luncheon hosted by the Council on Foreign Relations, Lee called the
North's method of giving up only thin slices of concessions for large incentives
-- while keeping most of its weapons program intact -- a "salami tactic."
"We must not repeat the mistake we have committed for the past 20 years, allowing
the North Korean nuclear issue to return to its starting point by agreeing to
reward North Korea for agreements that can easily be reversed," he said.
Lee and Hu also discussed ways to improve the bilateral ties between their
countries, agreeing to continue seeking joint efforts to fight the global
financial crisis.
Hu expressed support for Seoul's hosting of a fourth G-20 summit, saying he was
"satisfied" with the level of cooperation between his country and Korea on
international and regional issues, according to the South Korean presidential
secretary.
Both the South Korean and Chinese leaders are set to arrive in Pittsburgh later
in the week for the G-20 economic summit.
bdk@yna.co.kr
(END)
