ID :
187521
Thu, 06/09/2011 - 14:43
Auther :

S. Korea, China discuss ways to bring N. Korea back to nuclear talks

BEIJING, June 9 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy met with his Chinese counterpart Thursday to find ways to revive the long-stalled nuclear disarmament negotiations with North Korea, diplomatic sources said.
The talks between Wi Sung-lac and his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei focused on a step-by-step approach to resume 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.
Before the talks in Beijing, Wi said that the two countries have agreed on a three-step approach as a way to restart the six-party talks. The proposal calls for North Korea to meet South Korea first and then the U.S. before reopening the multilateral forum.
However, hopes for reopening the six-party talks further receded last week after North Korea declared it would no longer deal with South Korea and embarrassed Seoul by divulging details of secret contact the sides had last month to set up summit meetings.
Details of the Wi-Wu meeting were not made public, but diplomatic sources said Wu called on South Korea to be flexible on the step-by-step approach, citing the North's refusal to have any dialogue with the South.
It was not immediately clear whether China wants South Korea to change its stance in the three-step approach. Wi returned home late Thursday.
Inter-Korean relations are at one of their lowest levels after the North launched deadly 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.

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