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South Korean official says he is not `confident` in nuke talks
Seoul, Nov 18: A senior South Korean official today said he was not `confident` that Communist North Korea would be persuaded to give up its nuclear ambitions at six-nation talks expected to take place next month.
Seoul, Nov 18: A senior South Korean official today
said he was not 'confident' that Communist North Korea would
be persuaded to give up its nuclear ambitions at six-nation
talks expected to take place next month.
The comments by Kim Hee-Sang, national defence advisor
for President Roh Moo-Hyun, came as a senior US envoy and
Japan's defence chief pledged in Tokyo to use "dialogue and
pressure" to coax the North into scrapping its nuclear weapons
development.
In South Korea, Kim said the North would be reluctant to relinquish its nuclear programmes because it was the last playing card that the impoverished and isolated state has.
"I cannot be confident on whether the six-nation talks can get North Korea to give up its willingness to arm itself with nuclear weapons," Kim said in a speech at a symposium. Kim's comments were carried by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, and could not be immediately confirmed by his office.
Efforts are underway to reopen the nuclear talks involving the two Koreas, Japan, the United States, China and Russia. Another senior South Korean official yesterday said he expected the talks to take place on dec. 17-18 in Beijing.
US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, who is on a three-nation tour of Asia, expressed hope that the talks would happen next month, but added that a specific date was still not set. But he said he was "going to Beijing to do more work on that problem". Bureau Report
In South Korea, Kim said the North would be reluctant to relinquish its nuclear programmes because it was the last playing card that the impoverished and isolated state has.
"I cannot be confident on whether the six-nation talks can get North Korea to give up its willingness to arm itself with nuclear weapons," Kim said in a speech at a symposium. Kim's comments were carried by South Korea's Yonhap News Agency, and could not be immediately confirmed by his office.
Efforts are underway to reopen the nuclear talks involving the two Koreas, Japan, the United States, China and Russia. Another senior South Korean official yesterday said he expected the talks to take place on dec. 17-18 in Beijing.
US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly, who is on a three-nation tour of Asia, expressed hope that the talks would happen next month, but added that a specific date was still not set. But he said he was "going to Beijing to do more work on that problem". Bureau Report