Post by bot on May 31, 2004 3:04:14 GMT -5
Kerry Wants U.S. Talks With North Korea, Washington Post Says
quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=auYfItaZyBVs&refer=asia
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- John Kerry, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, said he would begin direct talks with North Korea to resolve a 20-month dispute over the communist nation's nuclear development program, if he is elected president, the Washington Post reported on its Web site.
In an interview, Kerry, who is challenging President George W. Bush in the November elections, called the Bush administration's effort to set up six-nation talks to resolve the impasse a ``fig leaf'' designed to cover up its failure to have a coherent policy, the report said. The six-nation talks also involve South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
Kerry, a four-term senator from Massachusetts, said he wouldn't abandon the six-way talks, and would keep both types of discussions going. Kerry said he would be willing to discuss a broad agenda that includes reducing troop levels on the Korean peninsula, replacing the armistice that ended the Korean War and even reunifying North Korea and South Korea, the report said.
The Bush administration rejected North Korea's requests for bilateral talks, saying it wasn't ready to negotiate unless North Korea first pledged to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Two rounds of six-nation talks have ended without agreement and another is scheduled to take place in June.
(Washington Post 5-30)
To contact the reporter on this story:
Heejin Koo in Seoul at hjkoo@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Paul Tighe ptighe@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: May 30, 2004 19:35 EDT
quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000080&sid=auYfItaZyBVs&refer=asia
May 31 (Bloomberg) -- John Kerry, U.S. Democratic presidential candidate, said he would begin direct talks with North Korea to resolve a 20-month dispute over the communist nation's nuclear development program, if he is elected president, the Washington Post reported on its Web site.
In an interview, Kerry, who is challenging President George W. Bush in the November elections, called the Bush administration's effort to set up six-nation talks to resolve the impasse a ``fig leaf'' designed to cover up its failure to have a coherent policy, the report said. The six-nation talks also involve South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
Kerry, a four-term senator from Massachusetts, said he wouldn't abandon the six-way talks, and would keep both types of discussions going. Kerry said he would be willing to discuss a broad agenda that includes reducing troop levels on the Korean peninsula, replacing the armistice that ended the Korean War and even reunifying North Korea and South Korea, the report said.
The Bush administration rejected North Korea's requests for bilateral talks, saying it wasn't ready to negotiate unless North Korea first pledged to dismantle its nuclear weapons program. Two rounds of six-nation talks have ended without agreement and another is scheduled to take place in June.
(Washington Post 5-30)
To contact the reporter on this story:
Heejin Koo in Seoul at hjkoo@bloomberg.net.
To contact the editor responsible for this story:
Paul Tighe ptighe@bloomberg.net
Last Updated: May 30, 2004 19:35 EDT