Posted on 09/11/2009 4:33:59 PM PDT by NormsRevenge
WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. State Department said on Friday it was prepared to hold direct talks with North Korea to try to coax it back into multilateral negotiations on ending its nuclear programs.
Previously, U.S. officials had sent mixed signals about direct meetings, at times saying Pyongyang must first commit to resume multilateral discussions and at others saying bilateral talks could only occur "in the context" of the multilateral discussions.
The department denied changing its policy on direct talks, saying any bilateral meeting would be to bring Pyongyang back to multilateral talks.
"We are prepared to enter into a bilateral discussion with North Korea," State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley told reporters.
"When it'll happen, where it'll happen, we'll have to wait and see," he added. "We've made no decisions at this point, other than just to say we are prepared for a bilateral talk, if that will help advance the six-party process."
North Korea agreed in September 2005 to abandon its nuclear programs in an aid-for-disarmament agreement hammered out among the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the United States in the so-called six-party talks.
The process has unfolded in fits and starts, with North Korea taking some steps to disable its nuclear facilities but also testing a nuclear device in 2006 and again in May, leading the others to question its commitment to the deal.
The six-party talks broke down at the end of last year, with the North declaring the process to be "dead," and the Obama administration is searching for a way to revive them.
(Excerpt) Read more at news.yahoo.com ...
This undated picture, released from North Korea's official Korean Central News Agency on September 4, 2009 shows North Korean leader Kim Jong Il (C) visiting the Songjin Steel Complex. The United States said Friday it is prepared to hold direct talks with North Korea in a bid to bring Pyongyang back to six-nation nuclear disarmament negotiations. (AFP/KCNA-HO/File)
North Korean leader Kim Jong-il visits the Munchon Middle School in Munchon in this undated picture released by the North's official KCNA news agency August 29, 2009. KCNA did not state expressly the date when the picture was taken. REUTERS/KCNA
Leftism is corrupt from top to bottom.
Perhaps he’s looking for a little advise from Kim?
You know 9-11 is absolutely the best day of all to announce that you’re giving in to state sponsors of terrorism!
The list, ping
Don’t forget to handover what information you have about the CIA BO.
Two marxists. One dicator, the other a soon to be booted fraud.
The “US” didn’t say they were ready for direct talks with NK. The satanic communist invaders currently holding the US hostage said it.
yeah, we can deal with them without China or South Korea being involved....
sarc
Bump
Obama being led around by the nose.
prepared to hold direct talks with North Korea to try to coax it back into multilateral negotiationsBomb first, talk second (if needed).
This could deliver a sharper blow to US/UK than Carter did in ‘94.
When this man is finished, NO ONE is Asia will believe security committment by the USA.
How would you like 2b Taiwanese RIGHT NOW..?
This could deliver a sharper blow to US/UK than Carter did in ‘94.
When this man is finished, NO ONE is Asia will believe security committment by the USA.
How would you like 2b Taiwanese RIGHT NOW..?
Question who is he sending HIlary or Bill
I wouldn’t talk a word to the Norks if I were POTUS. The only word would be reconnaissance on their missile sites and uranium enrichment facilities, along with destroying their missiles in flight.
The power of symbolism. The Obama Administration announces on September 11 that it accepts talks with Iran and direct one-on-one talks with North Korea. How much does Obama hate the US, the rest of the West and all that it has accomplished? This is another stick in the eye.
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