|
Ban says he is prepared to visit Pyongyang
MOSCOW, March 15 (Yonhap) -- United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon said Monday he is prepared to visit Pyongyang himself "when and if an opportunity arises" to facilitate the resumption of the six-party talks on the denuclearization of North Korea.
"...I myself, as a Secretary General, will do whatever I can to facilitate the resumption of the Six-party talks, so that the Six-party talks' members will be able to discuss the denuclearization process of the Korean Peninsula. And when and if an opportunity arises I'm prepared to visit Pyongyang myself," Ban said in an interview in New York with the Russian news agency Ria Novsti.
The U.N. head is to visit Moscow on Wednesday to participate in the meeting of the Middle East Quartet, comprised of the Russian Federation, the U.S., the U.N., and the EU.
Ban called the recent visit to Pyongyang by Lynn Pascoe as his special envoy to North Korea "quite encouraging," and said that "the dialogue and partnership between the United Nations and DPRK should further be strengthened."
DPRK stands for Democratic People's Republic of Korea, the North's official name.
"That is what I believe is mutually beneficial during the period when the DPRK and its people are suffering from a difficult economic situation, and in particular when the humanitarian situation is very worrisome."
(END)
| 
Home
