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South Korea wants US-North Korea talks despite naval skirmish
Seoul, July 03: South Korea said today that it hoped to see the united states and North Korea resume talks at an early date despite last weekend`s inter-Korean naval clash in the yellow sea.
Seoul, July 03: South Korea said today that it hoped
to see the united states and North Korea resume talks at an
early date despite last weekend's inter-Korean naval clash in
the yellow sea.
Washington said it had withdrawn an offer to send a
high-level envoy to Pyongyang next week, citing an
"unacceptable atmosphere" for a resumption in talks created by
the naval skirmish.
The US-led United Nations command renewed its offer to
launch a joint investigation into the worst inter-Korean clash
in three years, a proposal already turned down by the north.
South Korea's opposition Grand National Party meanwhile
urged the government to suspend aid and tours to the north and
sack the South Korean defence minister over the sea skirmish,
which left an estimated 35 sailors dead on both sides.
The US state department said it had withdrawn its offer also due to the lack of a timely response from Pyongyang to its proposals that a us delegation visit North Korea for two days from July 10.
"Although the offered visit to Pyongyang next week has been scrapped, it does not mean US-north Korea talks have been abandoned," said a senior S Korean official requesting anonymity.
"The government will make efforts to see the US and North Korea agree a new date to resume talks at the earliest possible date," he said.
South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung yesterday warned North Korea that it would suffer "great damage" in any new naval clash. But the president again vowed to pursue his attempts to peacefully draw the communist north out of decades of isolation.
Bureau Report
The US state department said it had withdrawn its offer also due to the lack of a timely response from Pyongyang to its proposals that a us delegation visit North Korea for two days from July 10.
"Although the offered visit to Pyongyang next week has been scrapped, it does not mean US-north Korea talks have been abandoned," said a senior S Korean official requesting anonymity.
"The government will make efforts to see the US and North Korea agree a new date to resume talks at the earliest possible date," he said.
South Korean President Kim Dae-Jung yesterday warned North Korea that it would suffer "great damage" in any new naval clash. But the president again vowed to pursue his attempts to peacefully draw the communist north out of decades of isolation.
Bureau Report