NORTH KOREA-USA U.S. would show flexibility in nuclear talks with North Korea - envoy

Record ID: 146109

  • Title: NORTH KOREA-USA U.S. would show flexibility in nuclear talks with North Korea - envoy
  • Date: 27th July 2015
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (JULY 27, 2015) (AGENCY POOL) ***WARNING CONTAINS FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY*** SEILER (LEFT) AND SOUTH KOREAN DIRECTOR GENERAL FOR NORTH KOREAN NUCLEAR AFFAIRS, KIM GUNN (RIGHT), WALKING INTO MEETING ROOM AND SHAKING HANDS SEILER AND KIM POSING FOR PHOTO SEILER AND U.S. DELEGATION TAKING THEIR SEATS SEILER SITTING MEETING IN PROGRESS KIM (RIGHT) AND SOUTH KOREAN
  • Embargoed: 11th August 2015 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: General
  • Reuters ID: LVAEFVHCFMOERID90E4K6BWSTZTF
  • Aspect Ratio: 16:9
  • Story Text: The recent nuclear deal with Iran showed that the United States can be flexible with a willing counterpart, including North Korea if it decides it wants talks on its nuclear programme, a U.S. envoy said on Monday (July 27).
    North Korea has said it was not interested in an Iran-like dialogue with the United States to give up its nuclear capabilities, which it said were an "essential deterrence" against hostile U.S. policy.
    Despite that, Sydney Seiler, U.S. special envoy for now-defunct six-party talks on ending the North's nuclear programme, said the United states left the door open to talks with the North when it is willing to end its diplomatic isolation.
    "The Iran deal demonstrates the value and the possibilities that negotiations bring. It demonstrates again our willingness, when we have a willing counterpart, and it demonstrates our flexibility when the DPRK (Democratic People's Republic of Korea) makes the decision that it wants to choose a different path," he said, referring to North Korea by the initials of its formal name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea.
    Later, Seiler met South Korean Director General for North Korean Nuclear Affairs, Kim Gunn for talks.
    Seiler is on a trip to the region that will include stops in China and Japan, is the latest in a series of visits by U.S. nuclear envoys aimed at trying to jump start the North Korean talks which broke down in 2008.
    North Korea has conducted three nuclear tests, the last in February 2013, and now calls itself a nuclear weapons state.
    The United States and five world powers struck a historic deal with Iran this month that will limit Iran's nuclear capabilities in exchange for lifting U.S., EU and UN sanctions that have crippled its economy.
    North Korea is also heavily sanctioned by the United States, European Union and the United Nations for procuring equipment related to its nuclear and ballistic missile programmes.
    News reports said the North has recently upgraded a missile platform and may be readying to launch a long-range missile around the time of a national anniversary in October.
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