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U.S. willing to engage N. Korea bilaterally in multilateral context: envoy
By Tony Chang
SEOUL, Nov. 3 (Yonhap) -- The United States is open to bilateral contact with North Korea, but only within a larger multilateral context aimed at irreversible denuclearization of the communist country, Washington's ambassador to South Korea said Tuesday.
"The U.S. remains willing to engage N. Korea bilaterally within the framework of the six-party process," Amb. Kathleen Stephens told a group of lawmakers at a function held at the National Assembly in Seoul. | | Data picture |
After months of provocations, highlighted by long-range rocket and nuclear tests, the communist regime has sought to reach out to the outside world and invited Stephen Bosworth, the U.S. special representative for North Korea policy, to visit Pyongyang.
Growing impatient at a perceived lack of response in Washington, Pyongyang on Monday said it was up to the U.S. to make the next move and warned it "will go its own way" should the U.S. not be ready to talk.
The two countries are members of the so-called six-party process that also includes South Korea, China, Russia and Japan.
The ambassador stressed that any bilateral dialogue with Pyongyang on the North's nuclear program would ultimately be dealt as a multilateral issue.
"We do think this (the nuclear stalemate) is a multilateral issue, not a bilateral issue simply with the U.S., although we are certainly prepared to play our role," she said.
Regarding a recent meeting between Sung Kim, Washington's special envoy for the six-party talks, and Ri Gun, director general of the North American bureau of the North's foreign ministry, in the U.S., the ambassador said she hopes the meeting will serve as the beginning for North's return to the six-party talks.
"It is our sincere hope that this meeting will start the process of getting North Korea back into a multilateral talks process."
Stephens also underscored that the U.S. was not prepared to discuss a "normalized relationship" with a North that insists on having a nuclear program, saying Pyongyang's nuclear ambition makes the process "very difficult."
She reaffirmed that the parties involved in the denuclearization talks were "ready" to provide North Korea "with the kind of assistance that it very much needs" in a path to denuclearization through diplomacy.
odissy@yna.co.kr
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