Posted on 10/07/2005 8:55:41 PM PDT by TigerLikesRooster
Seoul Denies Hill Chafed at Energy Offer to N.Korea
The Foreign Ministry on Friday denied reports that the U.S chief negotiator in six-party talks on North Korea’s nuclear program accused Seoul of undermining negotiations in the last round.
A Japanese daily earlier reported Christopher Hill told a closed-door seminar that South Korea’s offer of massive energy aid to the North was making things too easy for Pyongyang. However, the ministry official on Friday conceded that “the negative view toward Seoul’s role in negotiations with Pyongyang is widespread in Washington.”
Government officials involved in the six-party talks expect negotiators to make little headway in the next round due to the yawning gap between the U.S and the North. However, differences between Seoul and Washington could prove an even bigger headache.
The U.S. is reluctant to give in to North Korean demands for a light-water reactor, but South Korea says such civilian nuclear facilities are no problem provided Pyongyang complies with the Non-Proliferation Treaty and gives IAEA inspectors full access. North Korea promised to do so once the U.S. builds it a reactor. Seoul and Washington also disagree on other issues, including whether North Korea’s dismal human rights record should come up in negotiations.
Prof. Yoo Ho-yeol of Korea University, at a seminar by the conservative U.S. think tank Heritage Foundation, said U.S. government officials were wondering whether the South does not really know what Washington thinks or whether it just ignores it. A South Korean official said it was “worrisome” that Washington believes Seoul is siding with Pyongyang.
Meanwhile, the U.S. Congress took a wait-and-see attitude on the accord that ended the last round of the six-party talks. At a House International Relations Committee hearing on the talks, representatives neither praised the statement of principles as a remarkable achievement nor criticized it as a failure. James Leach, the chairman of an Asia-Pacific subcommittee, said it was realistic to think that “the more difficult portions of the process lie ahead, not behind… Any attempt to declare either victory or failure on the basis of the statement of principles is premature.”
Some warn that the U.S. will run out of patience with North Korea amid concerted efforts at home to rebuild the areas devastated by hurricane Katrina. Rep. Tom Lantos said the U.S government and parliament would not put up with any more North Korean delay tactics in the fifth round of talks slated for November.
Larry Niksch, an Asia expert with the Congressional Research Service, told the Heritage Foundation seminar Seoul and Washington lacked coordination and their alliance was under stress.
Two and a half years of your boss's hard work is finally paying off. Why complain? That is what Roh Moo-hyun wants. He should not insult his own intelligence, let alone everybody else's.
Ping!
Hey Tiger any word on Chia Pet on who he going pick as his successor I hearing from World Tribune that Chia Pet going pick second son OH GOD I hope it is Disneyland Tokyo son LOL!
According to S. Korean intelligence, Disneyland son is definitely out. We could find out more on Oct. 10(S. Korean time.) when N. Korea celebrates the founding of its ruling party. So far his second son is odds-in favorite, even though it is not clear whether Kim Jong-il officially announce his successor soon.
OMG LOLOL! he is out????
That funny LOL!
Yeah I understand Second born son come from Wife that got kill in car accident or died of breast cancer
Apparently he is NBA fan I dont' know which team he is fan of Please dont' make it Lakers LOL!
Well could be he is fan of Clippers
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