Disarmament Diplomacy
Issue No. 30, September 1998
US Statement on North Korea Talks
'US-DPRK talks,' US State Department statement, 10 September
1998
"Meeting in New York seven times from 21 August to 5 September,
US negotiators obtained commitments from their North Korean
counterparts on a range of issues of major concern to the US, our
allies the Republic of Korea and Japan, and the region as a whole.
The US objective in these talks was to obtain from the North
Koreans concrete steps that will reduce tension on the Korean
Peninsula and in the region, and to ensure that the DPRK continues
to abide by all of the terms of the Agreed Framework. Working
closely with our allies, we sought to remove DPRK threats to the
Framework, to begin to clarify certain North Korean underground
construction activity of concern to us, to raise our deep concerns
over the missile test, and to restart talks on their missile
program.
In the talks, US Special Envoy Charles Kartman led the US side.
Vice Foreign Minister Kim Gye Owan, who returned to North Korea 7
September, headed the North Korean delegation.
As a result of the talks, we made progress on each of our
goals.
- The DPRK has agreed to continue the serious discussion, which
began in New York, about US concerns with respect to the nature of
certain suspicious underground construction in North Korea. We made
clear in the New York talks that DPRK verbal assurances will not
suffice to meet our concerns. We intend to press for access to
clarify the nature of suspect construction, and we have already
made the North Koreans aware that access will be necessary to
clarify our concerns.
- The DPRK has agreed to resume missile talks on 1 October, which
will allow us to press strongly our concerns about their
production, development, and export of missiles, as well as their
further testing, a serious concern heightened by the recent launch
of a ballistic missile by North Korea. We have made and will
continue to make clear to the North Koreans that such a missile
launch should not be repeated.
- The DPRK will resume canning of remaining spent fuel rods
starting in mid-September. This canning is a North Korean
obligation under the Agreed Framework and is to be completed
without further delay.
- The DPRK has agreed to attend a third plenary of the Four Party
Talks in October.
- The DPRK also agreed to restart talks on steps they need to
take in order to be removed from the US list of State-sponsors of
terrorism.
The US has reaffirmed that it is living up to its commitments. It
will work to ensure that the DPRK will be provided with heavy fuel
oil (HFO) under the Agreed Framework, including resumption of HFO
shipments later this month and completion of the delivery of the
remaining 284,000 metric tons of HFO planned for this year within
1998. The US also reaffirmed that the DPRK would be provided two
light water reactors (LWRs) by KEDO, in accordance with the Agreed
Framework. As we move forward in these areas, we will continue to
consult closely with the Congress. The US will fully respect the
positions of the ROK and Japan and consult closely with them
regarding the LWR project implementation, as addressed in the US
press statement resulting from the New York talks.
As we pursue our negotiations with North Korea on these
difficult issues, we will continue to consult closely with Congress
and our allies, the ROK and Japan.
There should be no doubt about our firm commitment to our
bilateral security arrangements with the ROK and Japan."
© 1998 The Acronym Institute.
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