|
Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush on Friday reaffirmed the principle that North Korea must never be permitted nuclear weapons. During a meeting at the White House early Saturday morning Korean time, the two leaders also vowed to resolve the North Korean nuclear dispute peacefully and called for nations participating in six-party nuclear talks to step up their diplomatic efforts, a high-ranking government official said.
¡°At a time when other plans (such as sanctions) are being brought up, it is hugely important that the two reaffirmed the principle of resolving the nuclear issue peacefully,¡± the official said. The two presidents urged Pyongyang to return quickly to the six-party talks.
As a result, the other nations in the talks - China, Russia and Japan besides Korea and the U.S. -- are expected for the time being to concentrate on multilateral contacts to get North Korea back to the talks, more than a year after they last convened.
Observers say the two presidents also discussed what to do if the situation deteriorates - if, for instance, Pyongyang stays away from the negotiating table or pushes ahead with a nuclear test. But neither side has confirmed that such discussions took place.
Meanwhile, a high-ranking Korean official said the two leaders said the alliance was firm and developing in a healthy way, dismissing reports of fissures. The presidents reportedly also took a comprehensive look at bones of contention, such as a new ¡°strategic flexibility¡± Washington envisages for the U.S. Forces in Korea, Korea¡¯s initiative to become a ¡°balancer¡± in Northeast Asia, and a tiff over an abortive joint operational plan for contingencies in North Korea.
Bush expressed keen interest in the situation in North Korea, including the human rights situation, while Roh reportedly explained Seoul¡¯s position on how to improve Pyongyang¡¯s dismal record in that area. The two also exchanged opinions on affairs in Northeast Asia.
Ahead of the summit, Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon met with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice, while National Security Advisor Kwon Jin-ho met with his counterpart Stephen Hadley for working-level talks.
Roh returns to Korea on Saturday night Korean time.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
