Bosworth dismisses military option in N. Korean nuke issue

By Hwang Doo-hyong
WASHINGTON, Sept. 29 (Yonhap) -- The United States does not have a military
option on the table regarding North Korea's denuclearization, the U.S. point man
on North Korea said Tuesday, underscoring that the six-party talks are the only
way to resolve the issue.

"There is no military solution," Stephen Bosworth, special representative for
North Korea policy, said in an interview posted on the East Asia Forum Web site.
"Containment does not give long-term results. Negotiations are the way forward."
The U.S. is considering sending Bosworth to Pyongyang to persuade the North to
come back to the six-party talks, which Pyongyang has boycotted due to U.N.
sanctions for its recent nuclear and missile tests.
On the question of what he would do in Pyongyang, Bosworth said, "I will say that
we are willing to restart the negotiation process."
"We should start from the 2005 statement in the six-party talks, which clearly
stated that denuclearization was the shared ambition," he said. "And secondly, I
will say that the six-party talks format is the means to achieve that goal and
that North Korea should return to them."
The deal signed in September 2005 between the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Japan
and Russia calls for North Korea's nuclear dismantlement in return for massive
economic aid, diplomatic recognition and establishment of a permanent peace
regime to replace the armistice that ended the 1950-53 Korean War.
North Korea more recently has demanded bilateral talks with the U.S. for a
breakthrough, saying the multilateral forum has been used to its disadvantage.
Asked if he would continue bilateral talks if North Korea refuses to return to
the six-party talks, he said, "That is too soon to comment on. We will have to
make a decision based on the results of our diplomatic effort."
Any bilateral talks with the North would be "to persuade North Korea to return to
the six-party talks," he said. "We describe them as bilateral talks within the
six-party talks because the aim is both denuclearizing and getting North Korea
back to the six-party talks. In the end what is needed is a multilateral
solution. There is not one country that can provide a solution alone to all that
the country wants."
He said he will try to "change North Korea's perception of self-interest."
"North Korea is saying that they will not give up their nuclear weapons," he
said. "That is the situation right now. Our task is to change that position
through engagement and persuasion. That is diplomacy."
Bosworth, however, said the U.S. will continue sanctioning the North under U.N.
resolutions as a means of pressuring the regime back to the six-party
negotiations.
"Sanctions have to be combined with possibilities for North Korea in the form of
incentives," he said.
He lauded China's role as host of the six-party talks.
"The Chinese are an important player," he said. "They have their direct bilateral
contact with North Korea, which is important."
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao is visiting Pyongyang next week on the occasion of the
60th anniversary of normalization of Chinese-North Korean ties. There have been
suggestions that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may make an important
announcement on the six-party talks while receiving Wen.
Kim expressed his intention to conduct multilateral talks as well as bilateral
negotiations on its nuclear programs early this month when he met with a senior
Chinese official, Dai Bingguo, in Pyongyang, although U.S. and South Korean
officials are not sure what he views as multilateral.
Asked if President Barack Obama will meet Kim during his term, Bosworth said, "If
such a meeting were to happen, it would be an indication of significant progress
with regards to North Korea and denuclearization."
hdh@yna.co.kr
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