Rivals North and South Korea opened sensitive military and economic talks Thursday in an effort to ease tension along the Cold War's last frontier. The military talks mark only the second time the generals have met face to face and come amid the international standoff over the communist North's nuclear weapons programs. The first meeting occurred last week in North Korea when both sides agreed to discuss ways of preventing naval clashes along their poorly marked western sea border. Thursday's talks, held at the South's scenic Sorak Mountain, are a follow up to those discussions. South Korea suggested setting up a telephone hot line and adopting a standard radio frequency and signaling system for their navies. North Korea suggested that both sides work on reducing provocative propaganda. The usual: the capitalists have to offer up something substantial, the commies merely agree to change how they talk. |
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