USA TODAY International Edition
U. S., North Korea thaw icy relations
North diplomat to speak on Capitol Hill
WASHINGTON — The United States and North Korea are making goodwill gestures as they approach a new round of talks on North Korea’s nuclear program in two weeks.
The Bush administration has given permission to a North Korean diplomat to give a rare speech today on Capitol Hill, a week after North Korea hosted New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, a former U.S. ambassador to the United Nations. The North Koreans said theywould be = exible on demands for a civilian nuclear reactor in return for giving up their weapons program, Richardson said.
Along with Richardson, American tourists were given visas to visit North Korea this month to mark the 60th anniversary of the defeat of Japan and the founding of North Korea’s ruling Communist Party.
Han Song Ryol, the North’s deputy ambassador to the U.N., who is responsible for dealing with Americans here, will speak today on the “ road to peace in the Korean Peninsula,” says Sang Joo Kim, executive vice president of the Institute for Corean- American Studies, a group that sponsors fothe rums on U.S.- Asian affairs.
The last time a North Korean of * cial came to Washington was in June 2004, according to the State Department, during a previous round of nuclear talks in Beijing. North Korean diplomats must get permission to travel more than 25 miles outside New York, where they represent their country at the United Nations, because the United States and North Korea lack formal diplomatic relations.
No one i s predicting a b reakthrough when negotiations resume, probably on Nov. 7.
Adam Ereli, a State Department spokesman, said the United States was “ realistic” about the challenges ahead. He said, however, that at least “ we have a basis on which to build” after talks in August and September led to an agreement on the broad outlines for a deal.
Ereli said the Pentagon provided a plane to send Richardson to Pyongyang as a courtesy to a former Cabinet of * cer. There Richardson, who has dealt with the North Koreans in the past as a congressman, U.N. ambassador and Energy secretary, said he told top of * cials that “ they should take advantage” of new U.S. = exibility toward the communist state.
North Korea extended the invitation to Richardson in May. He said he coordinated the timing with the State Department.
U.S. diplomats, led by Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill, now have leeway to negotiate directly with North Koreans. However, Jack Pritchard, a former U.S. negotiator with the North Koreans, said he was “concerned that Hill’s leash is not as long or as elastic as I hoped.” At the same time the Bush administration is negotiating with North Korea, it is trying to limit North Korean sales of missiles and other dangerous technology.
Diplomats from North Korea, China, United States, South Korea, Russia and Japan agreed Sept. 19 in Beijing on a statement of principles for a nuclear deal. North Korea agreed to abandon its existing nuclear program in return for energy aid, U.S. security guarantees and a promise of better relationswith the United States.
The next round of talks will focus on implementing the agreement, which is vague in many respects.
Richardson, in a telephone interview, said he pressed the North Koreans to stop nuclear activities at Yongbyon, return to the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and allow U.N. arms inspectors to return.