North Korea-US nuke talks likely in September
August 26th, 2009 - 4:13 pm ICT by ANIWashington/Seoul, Aug.26 (ANI): US special envoy Stephen Bosworth is said to have accepted an offer from North Korea for nuclear talks and is expected to visit Pyongyang next month.
According to South Korean media reports, the reported invitation comes after Pyongyang was said to have proposed a summit with South Korea over the weekend, though Seoul denied the report.
The US and South Korean governments reiterated their insistence Monday that the isolated North - often called the “hermit kingdom” - must give up nuclear weapons.
The JoongAng Ilbo, a South Korean newspaper, reported Tuesday that Bosworth had accepted the invitation from Pyongyang and would travel to North Korea next month for talks. The report cited a “senior diplomatic source in Washington.”
The U.S. delegation will likely visit South Korea, China and Japan in early September and then head to the North, according to the source.
The trip was to be announced officially in early September, immediately before their departure to Pyongyang, the diplomat added.According to the source, Washington has decided to send Bosworth to Pyongyang as key obstacles in U.S.-North relations have been removed.
Two jailed American reporters were released earlier this month and former U.S. President Bill Clinton confirmed the stability of the Kim Jong-il regime, the source said.
Pyongyang has long sought direct negotiations with Washington about its nuclear program and other issues, hoping to boost its international profile.
The U.S. has said it is willing to talk bilaterally to Pyongyang, but only within the framework of six-party talks involving the two Koreas, the U.S., China, Russia and Japan.
Separately, North Korea and South Korea also agreed Tuesday to hold talks about arranging reunions between families separated by the long-running conflict on the Korean peninsula. (ANI)
- US official in China for Korean Peninsula solutions - Jan 06, 2011
- US wants North Korea to show commitment to denuclearisation - Sep 13, 2010
- US to hold N-talks with Pyongyang - Oct 20, 2011
- US concludes 'constructive' talks with North Korea - Jul 30, 2011
- Putin's daughter not marrying South Korean diplomat's son - Oct 30, 2010
- North Korea snubs Obama over satellite launch - Mar 27, 2012
- US hints at renewing nuke talks if 'right signals' emanated from North Korea - Jan 15, 2011
- North Korea assembling long-range missile, says report - Jun 03, 2009
- China calls for emergency talks over North Korea - Nov 28, 2010
- Obama visits Korean demilitarised zone - Mar 25, 2012
- Talks on North Korea should begin soon: US envoy - Jan 07, 2011
- North Korea agrees with China on return to talks - Aug 20, 2010
- Obama wants North Korea to drop rocket launch (Lead) - Mar 25, 2012
- Analysts doubtful about North Korea's "unconditional and early talks" proposal - Jan 09, 2011
- South Korea agrees to hold talks with North Korea - Jan 21, 2011
Tags: china russia, diplomatic source, early september, hermit kingdom, insistence, international profile, joongang ilbo, kim jong il, korean media, korean peninsula, north korea, north korea and south korea, nuclear program, nuclear talks, nuclear weapons, president bill clinton, pyongyang, seoul, south korea, south korean