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In a last-ditch effort to rescue stalled six-party North Korean nuclear disarmament talks, the other nations involved on Tuesday adopted a more conciliatory stance after recent heated rhetoric produced no results. While the U.S. repeated it recognizes North Korea as a sovereign nation, South Korea called a press conference to say it was unconvinced that activity observed by spy satellites in the North's Kilju, North Hamgyeong Province was preparation for a nuclear test.
U.S. hardliners appear sidelined for the time being as various leading figures stressed the importance of the six-party framework in resolving the nuclear standoff. After a U.S.-Russia summit on Monday, White House National Security Advisor Stephen Hadley reconfirmed the importance of the six-nation talks, while U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice again stressed on CNN that her government "recognizes that North Korea is sovereign." The State Department said separately Washington could hold bilateral talks with Pyongyang -- a long-standing North Korean demand -- so long as they happen within the six-party template.
It appears that more belligerent U.S. plans like referrring the dispute to the UN Security Council have been put on the back burner after a series of summits with South Korea, China and Russia.
Russian President Vladimir Putin said after his meeting with Bush it was unwise to force North Korea into a corner. Moscow had earlier seemed sympathetic to the Security Council solution but apparently changed its mind. Chinese President Hu Jintao also urged Bush to soften his stance, while the U.S. confirmed it was powerless to drag North Korea before the Security Council if veto-holders China and Russia oppose the move.
Seoul tried to put out the flames sparked by talk of an impending nuclear test. "According to intelligence exchanged with the U.S., there are no signs North Korea is preparing for a nuclear test," an official said on condition of anonymity. "As of now, we don't think [construction work in Kilju] is a facility for testing a nuclear device." He said Washington at no point told Seoul otherwise or passed on any satellite photos pointing to a test -- a direct contradiction to claims by unnamed U.S. officials reported earlier by the New York Times. He said all that had been confirmed was construction of a tunnel, while dumpster trucks involved in home construction at the site had been confirmed several years ago.
"We've never been informed of intelligence that the tunnel was being filled in or a viewing stand constructed," he said referring to the NYT report. "Would it make sense for someone to build a reviewing stand near [an underground] nuclear test?" He added "even three-quarters of Americans" did not believe the report. However, the official couched his remarks in careful qualifications like "up till now" and "we have not been told."
But hopes for an early resumption of the talks are slim. North Korea once again said Tuesday it would not sit down with a "hooligan nation" -- meaning the U.S., while the American press reported China's Hu could postpone a planned visit to Pyongyang out of dissatisfaction with North Korea. "It's a fact that the entire international community is concerned and feels a great sense of frustration," a high-ranjing official in Seoul said. But he added this was not the time to speak of a crisis.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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