YONHAP NEWS

(3rd LD) Roh says Korean Peninsula peace regime top agenda item of inter-Korean summit

By Yoo Cheong-mo
SEOUL, Sept. 11 (Yonhap) -- President Roh Moo-hyun said Tuesday that a new Korean Peninsula peace arrangement to formally end the 1950-53 Korean War will be the most important agenda item at his summit talks with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il slated for Oct. 2-4 in Pyongyang.

   Roh's remark comes just one day after he returned from a trip to the Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation forum in Sydney where U.S. President George W. Bush said, after a meeting with Roh, that Washington will pursue a peace treaty with Pyongyang to officially end the Korean War after "Kim Jong-il verifiably gets rid of his (nuclear) weapons programs and his weapons"
In a hastily arranged news conference at Cheong Wa Dae, Roh, meanwhile, said he won't raise the issue of the North's denuclearization seriously at the upcoming inter-Korean summit, noting the nuclear issue has already been in the process of rapid settlement at the six-party talks which also involve the U.S., China, Japan and Russia.

   The U.S. has repeatedly expressed the hope that the upcoming inter-Korean summit will help facilitate the ongoing six-party nuclear talks on persuading North Korea to abandon its nuclear weapons ambitions.
"The declaration of the end of the Korean War and a peace regime of the Korean Peninsula are the core agenda items of the inter-Korean summit talks," Roh said. "Many people emphasize the importance of the North Korean denuclearization. Objectively speaking, the nuclear issue is in the midst of being resolved at the six-party talks. More important is the next stage, or the establishment of peace."
"During the just-ended APEC forum, I had talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao and U.S. President George W. Bush. In addition, I plan to meet with North Korean leader Kim early next month. Then I will have met (leaders) of all signatories to the cease-fire of the Korean War. (The inter-Korean summit) is an important opportunity, along with progress at the six-party talks," said the president.

   Explaining his decision not to raise the denuclearization issue seriously, Roh said his possible argument with Kim over the nuclear weapons issue won't be helpful to peace on the Korean Peninsula.

   "If I emphasize the matter, it will ruin the atmosphere of the talks. Such arguments will not be helpful to peace on the Korean Peninsula and inter-Korean relations. We have to move towards the peace regime," Roh said.

   Roh said he will also discuss with Kim Jong-il how to accelerate practical inter-Korean economic cooperation.

   ycm@yna.co.kr
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