ID :
205401
Tue, 09/06/2011 - 05:00
Auther :
Shortlink :
https://oananews.org//node/205401
The shortlink copeid
S. Korea's nuclear envoy to visit U.S. this week
SEOUL, Sept. 6 (Yonhap) -- South Korea's chief nuclear envoy will travel to the United States this week, a senior official in Seoul said Tuesday, after North Korea reportedly promised to impose a moratorium on nuclear testing if the six-party talks resume.
Wi Sung-lac plans to meet Stephen Bosworth, Washington's special envoy on Pyongyang, and Clifford Hart, who is expected to be named the new chief U.S. envoy to the six-way talks, during his two-day visit beginning Wednesday, the official said.
"Wi plans to hold consultations with his U.S. counterparts on possible follow-up discussions with North Korea, after recent inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea dialogues," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
The six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons programs, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, have been dormant since late 2008.
Since late July, however, South Korea and the U.S. have been engaged in preliminary talks with North Korea to gauge the possibility of resuming the multilateral forum.
Wi's trip to the U.S. comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, during a rare summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Aug. 24, reportedly pledged to consider issuing a moratorium on nuclear testing and missile launches if the broader negotiations resume.
South Korea and the U.S. gave a cool response to the North's latest gesture as they demand Pyongyang announce such a moratorium before, not after, the six-party negotiations begin.
Wi Sung-lac plans to meet Stephen Bosworth, Washington's special envoy on Pyongyang, and Clifford Hart, who is expected to be named the new chief U.S. envoy to the six-way talks, during his two-day visit beginning Wednesday, the official said.
"Wi plans to hold consultations with his U.S. counterparts on possible follow-up discussions with North Korea, after recent inter-Korean and U.S.-North Korea dialogues," the official said on the condition of anonymity.
The six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear weapons programs, involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan, have been dormant since late 2008.
Since late July, however, South Korea and the U.S. have been engaged in preliminary talks with North Korea to gauge the possibility of resuming the multilateral forum.
Wi's trip to the U.S. comes as North Korean leader Kim Jong-il, during a rare summit with Russian President Dmitry Medvedev on Aug. 24, reportedly pledged to consider issuing a moratorium on nuclear testing and missile launches if the broader negotiations resume.
South Korea and the U.S. gave a cool response to the North's latest gesture as they demand Pyongyang announce such a moratorium before, not after, the six-party negotiations begin.
