Progress at revived arms talks 'depends on US attitude'
North Korea’s No. 2 leader said today any progress at revived talks on the communist nation’s nuclear program will depend on the United States, according to a news report, an indication that any breakthrough at the negotiations could be difficult.
“Results of the six-party talks depend on the US attitude,” Kim Yong Nam told a visiting South Korean delegation in Pyongyang, Yonhap news agency reported.
The North agreed earlier this week to return to the arms talks after Washington said it would address financial restrictions that have limited the regime’s access to outside banks. North Korea has boycotted the talks since November 2005.
Kim also accused the US of seeking the resumed nuclear talks to bolster the Republicans’ popularity ahead of US midterm elections next week, casting doubts on Washington’s sincerity in resolving “fundamental problems between North Korea and the US.”
Kim’s comments, made in a meeting with members of South Korea’s minor opposition Democratic Labour Party, could not be immediately confirmed by the party headquarters in Seoul.
The North Korean official claimed it was Pyongyang which had proposed returning to the negotiations as a way for the U.S. to save face and not appear to be caving in to the North’s demand that the financial issue be discussed.
That account contradicts US statements that diplomacy by China, the North’s last major ally, had been instrumental in luring the North back to the nuclear talks.
The US financial restrictions – imposed for the North’s alleged illicit activities like counterfeiting and money laundering – had been a major stumbling block to the nuclear talks.
Pyongyang has said it would seek to have the restrictions lifted at the resumed talks, which also involve China, Japan, Russia, South Korea and the US.
South Korea’s chief nuclear envoy, Chun Yung-woo, said Friday that “there is no way the US can promise a solution” to the financial issue.
“I think North Korea has become aware of the reality and had decided to solve this issue at the six-party talks,” he said in an interview with KBS radio.
The South Korean diplomat added that North Korea “has no more cards to play after the nuclear test” and that the communist nation had realised that time wasn’t on their side in returning to arms talks.
Chun said South Korea is in talks with the U.S. and Japan on a plan for preliminary meetings before officially returning to the disarmament talks with North Korea.
China has also proposed holding similar discussions among chief envoys to the six-nation talks, he said.
“How much substantial progress can be made once the talks resume is much more important at this point than how soon we open the talks,” Chun said. “It is important to thoroughly prepare ahead, to co-ordinate between related countries and to do our homework thoroughly.”
No date has been set for the next round of talks, but officials have said it would be held after the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Co-operation forum scheduled for Nov. 18-19 in Vietnam and before the year’s end.
Chun said today the formal talks could open in December.
Meanwhile, Washington was sending two senior State Department officials to Japan, China and South Korea next week for talks on enforcing the UN sanctions imposed against the North for its October 9 nuclear test.
Under-secretaries of State Nicholas Burns and Robert Joseph will be in the region to discuss the sanctions, which forbid trade with North Korea in weapons and also luxury goods.
