JAPAN: North Korean envoy to six-party nuclear talks says restart of talks up to U.S. as he arrives in Tokyo for a private security forum.

Record ID: 376862

  • Title: JAPAN: North Korean envoy to six-party nuclear talks says restart of talks up to U.S. as he arrives in Tokyo for a private security forum.
  • Date: 7th April 2006
  • Summary: AIRPORT TERMINAL BUILDING
  • Embargoed: 22nd April 2006 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVAD3FABYKD8DRECWOYD5QM0MOE0
  • Story Text: North Korea's top negotiator in six-way talks on Pyongyang's nuclear arms programme said on Friday (April 7) it is up to the United States to take steps to restart the stalled talks on the thorny topic.

    North Korean Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye-gwan who arrived in Tokyo on Friday said he was participating in a security forum in Tokyo and denied speculation that he was there to revive the six party talks.

    "We're here to attend the North East Asia Cooperation Dialogue as part of the two track diplomacy efforts and not here for the six party talks," Kim told reporters at the airport.

    Kim however will be joined next week by envoys from the other countries involved in the six-way talks, aimed at preventing a nuclear crisis on the Korean peninsula.

    Some analysts have billed the gathering as a de facto version of the six-party negotiations.

    However asked on arrival what he hopes to achieve in Tokyo, Kim repeated that "it does not have to do with the six-party talks, and it is the United States that knows full well what needs to be done to revive the six-party talks."

    The six participants in the nuclear talks -- the two Koreas, the United States, China, Japan and Russia -- agreed in principle in September that Pyongyang would dismantle its nuclear programmes in exchange for aid and improved diplomatic ties.

    But the last session in November ended without progress.

    North Korea has said it would be impossible to return to the talks while Washington is taking action against it for alleged counterfeiting, drug trafficking and money laundering. North Korea has denied involvement in any illegal activities.

    U.S. chief negotiator Christopher Hill will arrive in Tokyo on Monday for the private forum, and South Korea's new envoy, Chun Yung-woo, will also be in the Japanese capital along with China's chief delegate, Wu Dawei.

    Hill has no plans to meet the North Korean official but has not ruled out doing so, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told reporters in Washington.

    Korea experts said the gathering could set the stage for resuming the formal negotiations, but also said it would be hard to narrow the gap between Washington and Pyongyang.
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