ID :
208732
Thu, 09/22/2011 - 01:08
Auther :
Shortlink :
http://m.oananews.org//node/208732
The shortlink copeid
(LEAD) 'Real negotiations' with N. Korea necessary: White House
(LEAD) 'Real negotiations' with N. Korea necessary: White House
(ATTN: UPDATES with Campbell's comments, background, other details)
By Lee Chi-dong
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- A senior White House official said Wednesday the Barack Obama administration champions "real negotiations" with North Korea on denuclearization despite the communist regime's quirkiness in dialogue.
The remarks by National Security Council Asia director Daniel Russel came amid media speculation over when and whether Washington will hold another round of high-level meetings with Pyongyang.
Russel said he was aware of criticism of North Korea, which once said it would boycott the six-way nuclear talks and now calls for the resumption of the negotiations also joined by China, Russia and Japan.
"The United states holds the view that real negotiations are necessary to implement both the U.N Security Council resolutions on North Korea's obligations -- international obligations under that -- and the 2005 joint statement, North Korea's commitments under that," he said at a press briefing in New York, Web cast by the Washington Foreign Press Center.
He added Washington is looking for "some indication, some seriousness of purpose on North Korea's part" that it is willing to join a "bona fide" negotiating process.
The White House official and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell took turns answering reporters' questions, many of which were about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
They are accompanying Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, respectively, to the United Nations General Assembly.
In Beijing, top nuclear envoys from South and North Korea had talks on Wednesday. The North's representative, Ri Yong-ho, described his meeting with the South's Wi Sung-lac as "constructive and useful" but stopped short of announcing a tangible agreement.
Russel would not speak about the results of the Beijing meeting between but he said the meeting itself is a "good thing."
"We continue to hold the view that progress in inter-Korean relations is a critical element of making progress on the broader Korean Peninsula issues, including especially the important issue of implementing North Korea's denuclearization commitments," he said.
The two Koreas had rare one-on-one denuclearization talks in Bali in July on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, paving the way for a Pyongyang-Washington meeting in New York.
The U.S. stressed the New York talks in late July between the North's vice foreign minister, Kim Kye-gwan, and Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea, were aimed at testing whether Pyongyang is sincere about abandoning its nuclear program in return for political and economic assistance.
U.S. officials said they put forward a set of initial steps for the North to take and they are waiting for its reply.
Informed sources said the U.S. demanded the North agree to allow the return of International Atomic Energy Agency monitors to its nuclear facilities, place a moratorium on missile and nuclear testing and abide by inter-Korean deals in place.
With regard to the arms sale to Taiwan, meanwhile, Campbell said it is to improve Taiwan's air defense capabilities and help maintain regional peace.
Earlier in the day, the Obama administration notified Congress of the $5.85-billion sale to Taiwan, mainly to upgrade its F-16 fighter jets despite a strong opposition from China.
"We firmly believe that our arms sales to Taiwan contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Campbell said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
leechidong@gmail.com
(END)
(ATTN: UPDATES with Campbell's comments, background, other details)
By Lee Chi-dong
WASHINGTON, Sept. 21 (Yonhap) -- A senior White House official said Wednesday the Barack Obama administration champions "real negotiations" with North Korea on denuclearization despite the communist regime's quirkiness in dialogue.
The remarks by National Security Council Asia director Daniel Russel came amid media speculation over when and whether Washington will hold another round of high-level meetings with Pyongyang.
Russel said he was aware of criticism of North Korea, which once said it would boycott the six-way nuclear talks and now calls for the resumption of the negotiations also joined by China, Russia and Japan.
"The United states holds the view that real negotiations are necessary to implement both the U.N Security Council resolutions on North Korea's obligations -- international obligations under that -- and the 2005 joint statement, North Korea's commitments under that," he said at a press briefing in New York, Web cast by the Washington Foreign Press Center.
He added Washington is looking for "some indication, some seriousness of purpose on North Korea's part" that it is willing to join a "bona fide" negotiating process.
The White House official and Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Kurt Campbell took turns answering reporters' questions, many of which were about U.S. arms sales to Taiwan.
They are accompanying Obama and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, respectively, to the United Nations General Assembly.
In Beijing, top nuclear envoys from South and North Korea had talks on Wednesday. The North's representative, Ri Yong-ho, described his meeting with the South's Wi Sung-lac as "constructive and useful" but stopped short of announcing a tangible agreement.
Russel would not speak about the results of the Beijing meeting between but he said the meeting itself is a "good thing."
"We continue to hold the view that progress in inter-Korean relations is a critical element of making progress on the broader Korean Peninsula issues, including especially the important issue of implementing North Korea's denuclearization commitments," he said.
The two Koreas had rare one-on-one denuclearization talks in Bali in July on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum, paving the way for a Pyongyang-Washington meeting in New York.
The U.S. stressed the New York talks in late July between the North's vice foreign minister, Kim Kye-gwan, and Stephen Bosworth, special representative for North Korea, were aimed at testing whether Pyongyang is sincere about abandoning its nuclear program in return for political and economic assistance.
U.S. officials said they put forward a set of initial steps for the North to take and they are waiting for its reply.
Informed sources said the U.S. demanded the North agree to allow the return of International Atomic Energy Agency monitors to its nuclear facilities, place a moratorium on missile and nuclear testing and abide by inter-Korean deals in place.
With regard to the arms sale to Taiwan, meanwhile, Campbell said it is to improve Taiwan's air defense capabilities and help maintain regional peace.
Earlier in the day, the Obama administration notified Congress of the $5.85-billion sale to Taiwan, mainly to upgrade its F-16 fighter jets despite a strong opposition from China.
"We firmly believe that our arms sales to Taiwan contribute to the maintenance of peace and stability across the Taiwan Strait," Campbell said.
lcd@yna.co.kr
leechidong@gmail.com
(END)
