ID :
187105
Wed, 06/08/2011 - 06:51
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/187105
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea's nuclear envoy heads for China
(ATTN: RECASTS lead, Minor Edits throughout, UPDATES with unification minister's comments in last 2 paras)
SEOUL (Yonhap) -South Korea's chief nuclear envoy headed to China on Wednesday, saying he would discuss ways to revive nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea, including a three-step approach calling for inter-Korean dialogue as a first step toward resuming the negotiations.
Wi Sung-lac will meet his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei on Thursday during a two-day visit to Beijing from Wednesday for discussions on the six-party talks that have been stalled since late 2008. The forum brings together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.
Wi said that regional powers have agreed on a three-step approach as a way to restart the six-party talks and that his talks with the Chinese envoy will focus on fleshing out the idea. The proposal calls for North Korea to meet South Korea first and then the U.S. before reopening the multilateral forum.
"We have pushed for the three-step approach since last year and will first make efforts to revive a dialogue channel between South and North Korea," Wi told Yonhap News Agency before flying to Beijing.
The prospects for reopening the six-party talks grew dimmer last week after North Korea declared it would no longer talk to South Korea and embarrassed Seoul by divulging details of secret contact the sides had last month to set up summit meetings.
Asked about the North's recent fiery rhetoric, Wi said, "During the visit to China, I will figure out why North Korea made such a stance public and how to cope with the current situation.
"The overall mood is not good, but there is room for diplomacy to play a role."
Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest levels after the North launched military attacks on South Korea last year that left a total of 50 people dead.
South Korea is demanding that the North apologize first for the military attacks and demonstrate its denuclearization commitment through action before resuming the six-party talks.
North Korea has called for an early resumption of the nuclear talks, but regional powers are wary of Pyongyang's sincerity, citing its past pattern of raising tensions and winning concessions through talks.
Later Wednesday, Seoul's Unification Minister Hyun In-taek urged Pyongyang to get back on the right track of inter-Korean dialogue in a "reasonable and responsible" manner.
"North Korea should get back to the right place. It should not stray further away from the normal track of inter-Korean relations," he told a seminar organized by the ruling Grand National Party. "North Korea's military adventurism will only further isolate itself."
SEOUL (Yonhap) -South Korea's chief nuclear envoy headed to China on Wednesday, saying he would discuss ways to revive nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea, including a three-step approach calling for inter-Korean dialogue as a first step toward resuming the negotiations.
Wi Sung-lac will meet his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei on Thursday during a two-day visit to Beijing from Wednesday for discussions on the six-party talks that have been stalled since late 2008. The forum brings together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S.
Wi said that regional powers have agreed on a three-step approach as a way to restart the six-party talks and that his talks with the Chinese envoy will focus on fleshing out the idea. The proposal calls for North Korea to meet South Korea first and then the U.S. before reopening the multilateral forum.
"We have pushed for the three-step approach since last year and will first make efforts to revive a dialogue channel between South and North Korea," Wi told Yonhap News Agency before flying to Beijing.
The prospects for reopening the six-party talks grew dimmer last week after North Korea declared it would no longer talk to South Korea and embarrassed Seoul by divulging details of secret contact the sides had last month to set up summit meetings.
Asked about the North's recent fiery rhetoric, Wi said, "During the visit to China, I will figure out why North Korea made such a stance public and how to cope with the current situation.
"The overall mood is not good, but there is room for diplomacy to play a role."
Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest levels after the North launched military attacks on South Korea last year that left a total of 50 people dead.
South Korea is demanding that the North apologize first for the military attacks and demonstrate its denuclearization commitment through action before resuming the six-party talks.
North Korea has called for an early resumption of the nuclear talks, but regional powers are wary of Pyongyang's sincerity, citing its past pattern of raising tensions and winning concessions through talks.
Later Wednesday, Seoul's Unification Minister Hyun In-taek urged Pyongyang to get back on the right track of inter-Korean dialogue in a "reasonable and responsible" manner.
"North Korea should get back to the right place. It should not stray further away from the normal track of inter-Korean relations," he told a seminar organized by the ruling Grand National Party. "North Korea's military adventurism will only further isolate itself."
