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China-Japan-Koreas
Powell Meets With North Korean Minister
2004-07-02
JAKARTA, Indonesia (AP) - Secretary of State Colin Powell met Friday with North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam Sun to discuss the impasse over that country's nuclear weapons program. It was the highest-level meeting between the two countries since 2002.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Powell told Paek there was an opportunity for "concrete progress" toward the U.S. goal of complete defanging of nuclear disarmament by North Korea. Boucher said they discussed the proposals that each side put forth at an international meeting last week in China. "The discussion was useful to help clarify each side's proposal," he said, alluding to the 20-minute meeting Friday morning. Powell emphasized to Paek the administration's proposals to move forward on the proposed dismantling of North Korea's nuclear programs.

Paek, according to a North Korean statement, said that if the United States wants to improve relations, his government "will not regard the U.S. as a permanent enemy." He said future relations hinge on a change in the current "hostile policy" of the United States.

Paek added that his country remains committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue. Paek also said "simultaneous actions" were the only way to overcome mutual suspicions with the United States. "There is no trust between the DPRK (North Korea) and the U.S.," the statement said.
There certainly isn't any on our side.
Powell told a news conference Thursday night that North Korea would be wasting its time if it holds out for economic benefits from the United States before showing serious intent to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. "As we follow the principle of word for word and deed for deed, we have to see deeds before we are prepared to put something on the table," Powell told a news conference. "We don't think that what's been asked for will be very difficult to achieve," Powell said.

In Powell's view, it makes no sense to discuss denuclearization of the peninsula if North Korea does not declare all aspects of its nuclear program. "The solution has to begin with North Korea acknowledging, and be ready to acknowledge, all these nuclear programs that are a concern ... leading ultimately in some subsequent phase to the dismantling and removal of all parts of the program," Powell said.

He said the United States does not want a repeat of the experience growing out of a 1994 U.S.-North Korean agreement designed to ensure that that Pyongyang would not be a nuclear threat.
Thanks again, Jimmuah.
Posted by:Steve White

#1  Paek added that his country remains committed to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and to a peaceful resolution of the conflict through dialogue.

WHOOOOOOP! WHOOOOOOOP! WHOOOOOOOP!

Bullshit alert! Bullshit alert!
Posted by: Bomb-a-rama   2004-07-02 1:43:39 AM  

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