JAPAN: New U.S. envoy to North Korea says next round of six-party talks to resume soon

Record ID: 463730

  • Title: JAPAN: New U.S. envoy to North Korea says next round of six-party talks to resume soon
  • Date: 7th March 2009
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (MARCH 6, 2009) (REUTERS) FOREIGN MINISTRY BUILDING (*** FLASH PHOTOGRAPHY ***) STEPHEN BOSWORTH, THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NORTH KOREAN POLICY, WALKING INTO A ROOM AND SHAKING HANDS WITH JAPAN'S FOREIGN MINISTER HIROFUMI NAKASONE BOSWORTH, NAKASONE, JAPANESE OFFICIALS AND U.S. OFFICIALS SITTING AT A TABLE NAKASONE TALKING TO BOSWORTH BOSWORTH LISTENING BOSWORTH, NAKASONE, JAPANESE OFFICIALS AND U.S. OFFICIALS SITTING AT THE TABLE BOSWORTH WALKING INTO TALK TO REPORTERS (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN BOSWORTH, THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NORTH KOREAN POLICY, SAYING: "We are in the final stages of our policy review in the Washington, in the Obama administration and I think we are confident that the five parties see this situation very much the same and we're going to move ahead as soon as we can." U.S. OFFICIALS STANDING (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN BOSWORTH, THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NORTH KOREAN POLICY, SAYING: "Now we hope that North Korea refrains from the provocation of firing a missile and if that, if they don't refrain, if that does happen then obviously we'll have to take stock and decide how to respond and what we'll do. But I'm confident that we can respond in a common fashion." JAPANESE PRESS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) STEPHEN BOSWORTH, THE U.S. SPECIAL ENVOY FOR NORTH KOREAN POLICY, SAYING: "This is we believe a very undesirable. It's provocation and it's unacceptable. So this is something that I think to be being discussed." BOSWORTH STANDING
  • Embargoed: 22nd March 2009 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA2O2RGLOFP6RLXQUTVXOQBA03T
  • Story Text: The new U.S. special envoy to North Korea Stephen Bosworth, met his Japanese counterpart in Tokyo on Thursday (March 5) to discuss regional security.
    Bosworth and Akitaka Saiki, the Japanese Foreign Ministry official in charge of Asia-Pacific affairs, spent an hour discussing issues surrounding North Korea.
    The U.S. sent Bosworth to Asia this week in a bid to advance the floundering six-party talks, and to prevent Pyongyang from making provocative moves.
    Japan is the second stop on the tour to gather views from regional partners as part of the Obama administration's review of North Korean policy.

    "We are in the final stages of our policy review in the Washington, in the Obama administration and I think we are confident that the five parties see this situation very much the same and we're going to move ahead as soon as we can," said Bosworth.
    Bosworth, a former U.S. ambassador to South Korea, will also travel to Seoul, but has no plans "at this point" to meet North Korean officials during this trip.
    Six-party talks between the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States on the North's nuclear weapons programs have stalled, with implementation of an initial energy-for-disarmament deal stuck on Pyongyang's refusal to allow nuclear material to be taken abroad for tests.
    North Korea has complained that aid is not being delivered as promised.
    No date has been set for a new round of six-party talks.
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