|
Big powers in talks on North Korea¡¯s nuclear program have broadly welcomed the announcement that the two Koreas are to hold their second summit late this month. The U.S. was positive but stressed the summit should focus on denuclearization. Japan was the most guarded in welcoming the news, while China promptly expressed support.
The U.S. on Wednesday said it expected the Aug. 28-30 summit to add momentum to progress in six-nation talks tasked with making the Korean Peninsula nuclear-free. Washington made it clear that all diplomatic efforts toward North Korea should be focused on denuclearization and an inter-Korean summit should be pursued on the same track as the multilateral disarmament dialogue.
White House spokesman Tony Snow told reporters Wednesday, ¡°We certainly support the talks.¡± He added, ¡°South Korea had notified us in advance. You've got the six-party process and this falls within the six-party process, where you've got to have everybody working together to put pressure on the North Koreans not only to shut down (the nuclear facilities) but also suspend any activities that can be used for uranium enrichment and reprocessing.¡±
State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said, ¡°We have always encouraged dialogue between the North and the South. This is certainly a welcome and positive step in the context of that engagement.¡± He added the summit plan ¡°in no way detracts from the efforts in the six-party talks to denuclearize the Korean Peninsula.¡± But he stressed that the ¡°center of gravity of everybody's diplomatic efforts here really is in the six-party talks,¡± although the choice of the agenda for the summit is up to the two Koreas. ¡°You have South Korea, Japan, Russia, China, the United States and it would seem, North Korea, invested in this diplomatic process,¡± he added.
¡ß Signs of surprise in Japan
Japan¡¯s Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuhisa Shiozaki welcomed the summit, expressing hope that it ¡°will lead to the denuclearization of the Korean Peninsula and a durable peace in Northeast Asia." But the Japanese government will apparently be watching closely how the upcoming summit will affect its stalemated relationship with Pyongyang, and there are reportedly fears that Japan could become diplomatically more isolated due to its insistence on resolving the issue of North Korea¡¯s abduction of Japanese citizens in the 1970s and 80s.
On Wednesday morning, Prime Minister Shinzo Abe called Shotaro Yachi, vice minister for foreign affairs, to his residence, to analyze the situation and discuss Tokyo¡¯s response. In a meeting with reporters afterwards, Abe said, "The abduction issue is very important to Japan. We'll again seek South Korea's understanding of its importance." The Japanese government is reportedly considering asking President Roh Moo-hyun to relay Abe's message to North Korean leader Kim Jong-il. An official with Japan¡¯s Foreign Ministry said, "We were informed by the South Korean government beforehand," but he did not say when.
¡ß Support from China
In Beijing, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said, "China supports all activities favorable to the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula and Northeast Asia." The remarks came in a statement posted on the ministry's website four hours after the summit was announced. "As a neighbor of the Korean Peninsula, China has consistently supported the North and the South of the peninsula in improving relations through dialogue,¡± he said. ¡°China expects that the second inter-Korean summit will produce positive results." That prompt expression of support suggests China, too, was informed of the summit in advance.
(englishnews@chosun.com )
|
