SOUTH KOREA: U.S. says will not lift sanctions against North Korea unless it restarts disarmament talks.

Record ID: 186902

  • Title: SOUTH KOREA: U.S. says will not lift sanctions against North Korea unless it restarts disarmament talks.
  • Date: 3rd April 2010
  • Summary: SEOUL, SOUTH KOREA (APRIL 2, 2010) (REUTERS) (** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY **) KURT CAMPBELL (LEFT) AND WI SUNG-LAK SHAKING HANDS CAMPBELL SPEAKING WI SPEAKING CAMPBELL AND U.S. OFFICIAL WI AND SOUTH KOREAN OFFICIAL U.S. OFFICIALS MEETING CAMPBELL COMING OUT OF ELEVATOR CAMPELL AND JOURNALISTS (SOUNDBITE) (English) KURT CAMPBELL, U.S. ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE FOR EAST ASIAN AND PACIFIC AFFAIRS, SAYING: "I will say that the United States and its allies have a strong desire to maintain the existing sanction regime 1874 until steps are taken on the part of the North Koreans to fulfill its commitment made in 2005 and 2007." EXTERIOR OF FOREIGN MINISTRY SOUTH KOREAN FLAGS PROTESTERS HOLDING PLACARDS PROTESTER WITH PLACARD THAT READS "6 PARTY TALKS & PEACE FORUM TOGETHER" VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS CHANTING PROTEST LEADER YOU YOUNG-JAE SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Korean) PROTEST LEADER YOU YOUNG-JAE SAYING: "We urge the U.S. to lift sanctions against North Korea and at the same time deal with issues like a possible peace forum and denuclearisation, for peace to come in the Korean peninsula as soon as possible." MORE OF PROTESTERS WITH PLACARDS VARIOUS OF POLICE STANDING PROTESTERS WITH BANNER AND PLACARD
  • Embargoed: 18th April 2010 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Topics: Defence / Military
  • Reuters ID: LVA4ZA9OWWSN74WS3IHTNGV80TZ
  • Story Text: U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Kurt Campbell says Washington sanctions against North Korea will remain unless it moves toward six-party disarmament talks.
    Kurt Campbell, U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, said on Friday (April 2) Washingtion will not lift sanctions against North Korea unless it moved towards six-party disarmament talks.
    Campbell arrived in Seoul on Friday to hold a meeting with South Korea's chief nuclear envoy Wi Sung-lak to discuss the North's nuclear programme.
    He said the U.S. had no change of position over the reclusive state's nuclear programme.
    "I will say that the United States and its allies have a strong desire to maintain the existing sanction regime 1874 until steps are taken on the part of the North Koreans to fulfill its commitment made in 2005 and 2007," Campbell said.
    His visit to Seoul came as speculations mounted that North Korean leader Kim Jong-il may visit China for the first time in four years, to hold talks that could pave the way for a return to nuclear negotiations and win aid to prop up his state's broken economy.
    The North has come under pressure to return to six-party disarmament-for-aid nuclear talks because of U.N. sanctions imposed after a May 2009 nuclear test and prodding by its major ally and the host of the talks, China.
    Sanctions have dealt a blow to its wobbly economy, and a botched currency move late last year has sparked inflation and rare civil unrest.
    North Korea said last month it would boost its nuclear weapons capability because U.S. President Barack Obama was ignoring calls for peace and was determined to bring it down by military force.
    North Korea also said in March it had put its army on full combat alert as U.S. and South Korean forces began joint military drills involving nearly 40,000 troops, an annual event that draws anger from the North but typically results in no major incidents.
    Outside the meeting site, a small group of North Korea supporters staged an anti-U.S. rally. They demanded the United Nations and major players like the U.S. to push for peace.
    "We urge the U.S. to lift sanctions against North Korea and at the same time deal with issues like a possible peace forum and denuclearisation, for peace to come in the Korean peninsula as soon as possible," said protest leader You Young-jae.
    The two Koreas are technically still at war because their 1950-53 conflict ended with an armistice and not a peace treaty.
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