KENYA: Hillary Clinton says future of U.S.-North Korea relations is up to Pyongyang

Record ID: 360963

  • Title: KENYA: Hillary Clinton says future of U.S.-North Korea relations is up to Pyongyang
  • Date: 6th August 2009
  • Summary: NAIROBI, KENYA (AUGUST 5, 2009) (REUTERS) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON AT PODIUM WITH KENYAN FOREIGN MINISTER MOSES WETANGULA (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. SECRETARY OF STATE HILLARY CLINTON SAYING: "The future of our relationships with the North Koreans are really up to them. They have a choice. They can continue to follow a path that is filled with provocative
  • Embargoed: 21st August 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Kenya
  • Country: Kenya
  • Reuters ID: LVADKBW2WJ5LNBA1RO88SDTQBWO5
  • Story Text: U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said on Wednesday (August 5) that Washington's relationship with North Korea was up to Pyongyang, which had choices. She also said the recent release of two U.S. journalists by North Korea was separate from nuclear non-proliferation talks and she reiterated a U.S. appeal for Pyongyang to return to negotiations.
    At a news conference in Nairobi with Kenyan Foreign Minister Moses Wetangula, Clinton said Pyongyang could either pursue a path filled with provocative actions, or decide to return to the negotiating table.
    "The future of our relationships with the North Koreans are really up to them. They have a choice. They can continue to follow a path that is filled with provocative actions, which further isolates them from the internation community, which resulted in the imposition of sanctions by the (U.N) Security Council -- and the full co-operation of the international community including and led by China for the implementation of those santions under the resolution. Or they can renew their discussions with the partners in the six party talks. We have always said that there would be a chance to discuss bilateral matters with the North Koreans within that regional context and that is still the offer today," said Clinton.
    Analysts say Washington faces a tricky task trying to convince North Korea to give up ambitions of becoming a nuclear weapons power without being seen to reward it for repeated military acts or ignoring regional demands.
    The two U.S. journalists were freed during a visit to North Korea by Clinton's husband, former U.S. President Bill Clinton. She rejected reports that he had apologised for their actions.
    The journalists work for Current TV, a U.S. outlet co-founded by Bill Clinton's former vice president, Al Gore. They were arrested for illegally entering North Korea from China and were each sentenced to 12 years' hard labour.
    Hillary Clinton told the news conference in Nairobi: "We have been working hard on the release of the two journalists. We have always considered that a totally separate issue from our efforts to reengage the North Koreans and have them return to the six party talks and work towards a commitment for the full, verifiable denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula. I was very pleased to get the news that my husband's plane had taken off from Pyonyang with the two young women on board. They are on their way to California where they will be reunited with their families. I had a very brief conversation with my husband. We did not go into the details of some of the questions that you are asking; there will be time to talk about later. This was mostly just to communicate directly how relieved and pleased he was and we are with the successful completion of this mission."
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