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A senior government official said Tuesday an "important proposal" South Korea made on the first day of inter-Korean vice ministerial talks on Monday was "a formula that could bring about substantial progress in the North Korean nuclear dispute."
Even if six-nation talks on the North¡¯s nuclear program resume, ¡°they should not be an occasion for mere talk," he said. He added the nuclear issue ¡°is not a matter that can be resolved through economic support only. Look in detail at areas that failed to make progress in the third round of the six-nation talks."
At the third round of the talks, the U.S. and North Korea wrangled over the supply of oil, multilateral security guarantees and removal of the North from the list of terror-sponsoring countries in return for Pyongyang freezing its nuclear program.
"It appears they discussed energy and economic aid, a formula by which the five other participating countries will guarantee the North's security in writing, and guaranteeing an opportunity for U.S.-North Korea bilateral talks," commented Prof. Nam Sung-wook of Korea University. "Once the North returns to the multinational talks, our government seems intent on trying to act as a mediator with the U.S."
But will the U.S. agree? A government official said Seoul briefed U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill on the proposal in advance during his visit here last week. But U.S. State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said that the United States has neither discussed the 'important proposal' with Seoul, nor is involved in it. It is not a joint proposal with Washington, nor was it coordinated in advance, he added.
But neither has the U.S. said it opposes it. "For each country involved in the six-nation talks to have a different approach causes no problems," Boucher said that in the event North Korea comes back to the six-nation talks, it is, in some sense, natural and not unusual for South Korea to support the North before other countries.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
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