Devildogg4ever
08-28-03, 04:39 AM
2 nations talk directly in six-country summit
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER NEWS SERVICES
BEIJING -- The United States and North Korea made their first direct contact in four months yesterday, huddling on the sidelines of a multinational summit to work through a stalemate over Pyongyang's nuclear program.
China, South Korea, Japan and Russia joined them in formal discussions, eager to apply delicate diplomacy to East Asia's most alarming security problem. Later, James Kelly, assistant secretary of state, and Kim Yong Il, North Korea's deputy foreign minister, conferred off to the side, breaking a freeze on direct dialogue that began after an April meeting in which North Korea warned that it was moving to develop nuclear arms.
Wie Sung-rak, director-general of the South Korean Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau, said: "The U.S. side made comments about easing North Korea's security concerns. ... We could read that North Korea is willing to resolve the nuclear issue through dialogue."
White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan played down the direct talks. "What we always indicated is that these will be multilateral discussions. But nothing precludes a conversation across the table between two parties," Buchan said. "But there are not separate, individual, bilateral discussions going on."
The fact that Kelly and Kim met on the first day was seen as a sign of modest flexibility on the U.S. side.
The extraordinary three-day, six-country summit, the result of months of political maneuvering, convened on the grounds of China's state guest house.
At the minimum, China hopes to see the United States and North Korea commit to keep talking, and it used the first day of talks to begin pressing for language toward that point, said a foreign-policy expert who has close ties to the Chinese foreign ministry.
But participants said the U.S. team outlined an agenda that put the onus on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program before any talks about incentive.
Still, some analysts say the United States and North Korea have privately told China that they are flexible on some points, with the United States seen as prepared to offer a security guarantee and North Korea ready to commit to giving up its nuclear program.
"It is not surprising that the two main parties are stating maximum negotiating positions at the outset," said Shi Yinhong, a foreign-policy expert at People's University in Beijing. "But both sides had to step back in order to make these talks possible, and China clearly feels that over time more progress can be made."
[url]http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/136939_korea28.html[/url
SEATTLE POST-INTELLIGENCER NEWS SERVICES
BEIJING -- The United States and North Korea made their first direct contact in four months yesterday, huddling on the sidelines of a multinational summit to work through a stalemate over Pyongyang's nuclear program.
China, South Korea, Japan and Russia joined them in formal discussions, eager to apply delicate diplomacy to East Asia's most alarming security problem. Later, James Kelly, assistant secretary of state, and Kim Yong Il, North Korea's deputy foreign minister, conferred off to the side, breaking a freeze on direct dialogue that began after an April meeting in which North Korea warned that it was moving to develop nuclear arms.
Wie Sung-rak, director-general of the South Korean Foreign Ministry's North American Affairs Bureau, said: "The U.S. side made comments about easing North Korea's security concerns. ... We could read that North Korea is willing to resolve the nuclear issue through dialogue."
White House spokeswoman Claire Buchan played down the direct talks. "What we always indicated is that these will be multilateral discussions. But nothing precludes a conversation across the table between two parties," Buchan said. "But there are not separate, individual, bilateral discussions going on."
The fact that Kelly and Kim met on the first day was seen as a sign of modest flexibility on the U.S. side.
The extraordinary three-day, six-country summit, the result of months of political maneuvering, convened on the grounds of China's state guest house.
At the minimum, China hopes to see the United States and North Korea commit to keep talking, and it used the first day of talks to begin pressing for language toward that point, said a foreign-policy expert who has close ties to the Chinese foreign ministry.
But participants said the U.S. team outlined an agenda that put the onus on North Korea to dismantle its nuclear program before any talks about incentive.
Still, some analysts say the United States and North Korea have privately told China that they are flexible on some points, with the United States seen as prepared to offer a security guarantee and North Korea ready to commit to giving up its nuclear program.
"It is not surprising that the two main parties are stating maximum negotiating positions at the outset," said Shi Yinhong, a foreign-policy expert at People's University in Beijing. "But both sides had to step back in order to make these talks possible, and China clearly feels that over time more progress can be made."
[url]http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/national/136939_korea28.html[/url