JAPAN: U.S. envoy Philip Goldberg says sanctions on North Korea will continue until goals are met

Record ID: 464929

  • Title: JAPAN: U.S. envoy Philip Goldberg says sanctions on North Korea will continue until goals are met
  • Date: 27th August 2009
  • Summary: TOKYO, JAPAN (AUGUST 26, 2009) (REUTERS) PHILIP GOLDBERG, U.S. AMBASSADOR AND COORDINATOR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 1874, WALKING INTO A NEWS CONFERENCE GOLDBERG STANDING AT A PODIUM REPORTERS LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR AND COORDINATOR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 1874, PHILIP GOLDBERG, SAYING: "The resolutions talk about measures to bring about denuclearisation, to bring about an end to the ballistic missile program, in other words, commitments that North Korea has already made in the six-party talks, in which now are enshrined in the U.N. resolutions and are the obligations of the international community to enforce. So that is what is the goal and the effort so the resolutions and the effects of these measures will continue until we're at that point." REPORTER ASKING QUESTIONS AND GOLDBERG LISTENING (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR AND COORDINATOR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 1874, PHILIP GOLDBERG, SAYING: "We support reduction intentions. We want to explore every possibility to returning to a process that will lead to those goals, but we are not just going back to talks, that's not what the the the state of goals is. The talks are for particular purpose and that's what we're all after." REPORTER TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (English) U.S. AMBASSADOR AND COORDINATOR FOR IMPLEMENTATION OF RESOLUTION 1874, PHILIP GOLDBERG, SAYING: "I wanna leave to the Chinese government, what measures they are taking, I'm not a spokesman for the Chinese government, but what I will say is that we've had very good discussions with them, very good cooperation with them in terms of implementation and there are commitments on all sides to implement the resolutions." GOLDBERG LEAVING THE NEWS CONFERENCE
  • Embargoed: 11th September 2009 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Japan
  • Country: Japan
  • Reuters ID: LVA367GNJHQKFNW0OQ7KEWYEER3F
  • Story Text: U.S. Ambassador Philip Goldberg, coordinator for the implementation of the U.N. resolution 1874 on North Korea, said on Wednesday (August 26) sanctions against North Korea will continue until goals are fully met.
    "The resolutions talk about measures to bring about denuclearisation, to bring about an end to the ballistic missile program, in other words, commitments that North Korea has already made in the six-party talks, in which now are enshrined in the U.N. resolutions and are the obligations of the international community to enforce," Goldberg told a news conference in Tokyo, Japan. "So that is what is the goal and the effort so the resolutions and the effects of these measures will continue until we're at that point."
    He also noted that the talks between North Korea, its neighbours and the U.S., known as the six-party talks, is part of the process, but it is not the main objective.
    "We support reduction intentions. We want to explore every possibility to returning to a process that will lead to those goals, but we are not just going back to talks, that's not what the the the state of goals is. The talks are for particular purpose and that's what we're all after," he added.
    Goldberg has been visiting his counterparts across Asia to enforce the punishments aimed at stamping out the North's arms trade, which estimates say provide it with at least hundreds of millions of dollars a year.
    During the news conference, Goldberg also said the Chinese government has been cooperative during the implementation process.
    "I'm not a spokesman for the Chinese government, but what I will say is that we've had very good discussions with them, very good cooperation with them in terms of implementation and there are commitments on all sides to implement the resolutions," said Goldberg.
    North Korea faces sanctions aimed at curtailing its lucrative missile trade under U.N. resolutions adopted following the North's long-range rocket launch in April and nuclear test in May.
    So far, the United States is holding firm to its stance that North Korea's only route to talking with Washington is through the six-party talks.
    Washington wants the North to rejoin the United States in disarmament-for-aid talks that also include South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
    Pyongyang considers these dead and wants only direct talks with the United States, which Washington refuses to conduct outside the six-party framework.
    North Korea also appears to want to be recognized as a nuclear power -- a non-starter for its negotiating partners.
    North Korea has lowered tensions with several gestures from releasing two jailed U.S. journalists and freeing a detained South Korean businessman to offering to reopen frozen North-South business and tourism ventures.
    A high ranking North Korean delegation on Sunday (August 23) attended the funeral of a former South Korean president and delivered a message from North Korean leader Kim Jong-il to Seoul's President Lee Myung-bak, the first formal communication since Lee took office about 18 months ago.
    And on Monday (August 24) South Korean media said Pyongyang had invited the U.S. official charged with managing relations with North Korea, Steven Bosworth, to visit the North next month for talks on its nuclear program.
    But long-time observers of wily North Korean leader Kim Jong-il see only a tactical shift aimed at weakening international sanctions imposed after North Korea's nuclear weapons test in May.
    They say Kim's moves are in fact evidence that U.N. curbs on Pyongyang's finances are starting to bite.
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