No decision yet on bilateral talks with N. Korea: State Dept.

By Hwang Doo-hyong

WASHINGTON, Sept. 28 (Yonhap) -- The United States said Monday it has not yet made a decision on whether to have bilateral talks with North Korea to woo the North back to six-party talks on ending its nuclear ambitions.

"I think one of the lessons that the United States has learned in this process is
a certain degree of patience pays off," Kurt Campbell, assistant secretary of
state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, said. "If there were to be any
bilateral interactions between the United States and North Korea, that they'd be
designed towards moving back rapidly and very clearly to a six-party framework
for formal interactions with our North Korean interlocutors. And I think we're in
the process now of planning our next steps in terms of diplomacy in Northeast
Asia."
Campbell hinted that any decision will be made after Chinese Prime Minister Wen
Jiabao visits Pyongyang to meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il next week on
the occasion of the 60th anniversary of normalization of ties between the two
communist allies.
Reports said Kim will make an important overture on reviving the six-party talks,
which Pyongyang has boycotted, citing U.N. sanctions for its nuclear and missile
tests earlier this year, and demanded bilateral negotiations for a breakthrough.
While meeting with senior Chinese official Dai Bingguo earlier this month, the
North Korean leader said he will conduct multilateral as well as bilateral talks
to resolve the nuclear issue.
Seoul and Washington officials, however, said it is not clear whether
multilateral talks means six-party talks or another form Kim might have in mind.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg embarked Friday on a weeklong trip
to Asia, including South Korea, to discuss North Korea and other bilateral and
regional issues.
"Deputy Secretary Steinberg is in Asia currently for further discussions with both
China, South Korea and Japan," Campbell said. "And I think it's also the case that
some very senior Chinese interlocutors will be visiting North Korea in the coming
days."
Campbell reiterated that any bilateral negotiations should aim to persuade the
North to come back to the six-party talks.
"Our goal is to remain lock-step with our partners, to ensure that we are working
together, so that there can be no picking off of one or other members of the
six-party framework or that there be any tension among us, as we engage together
with Pyongyang," he said. "China, Japan, South Korea and Russia have all very
clearly and strongly underscored the American approach is the right approach."
North Korea last month extended an invitation to Stephen Bosworth, special
representative for North Korea policy, possibly as a result of international
sanctions for the North's nuclear and missile tests earlier this year.
hdh@yna.co.kr
(END)