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N Korea is `revising` position on nuclear dispute: S Korea
Seoul, Oct 28: North Korea is softening its stand on the dispute over its nuclear weapons development, and momentum for another round of multilateral talks on the issue is picking up, a top South Korean official said today.
Seoul, Oct 28: North Korea is softening its stand on the dispute over its nuclear weapons development, and momentum for another round of multilateral talks on the issue is picking up, a top South Korean official said today.
"I think North Korea is revising its position," South Korean unification minister Jeong se-Hyun said. "North Korea has shown some positive steps forward."
Jeong cited North Korea's new willingness to consider US President George W Bush's offer of multilateral security assurances in return for dropping its nuclear programmes.
Previously, North Korea had demanded a non-aggression treaty with the United States, a demand that Washington has ruled out.
Any agreement on the nuclear standoff is likely to take many rounds of tough negotiations. A key question is whether secretive North Korea would be willing to grant enough access for inspectors to verify that it has dismantled its nuclear facilities.
Jeong, the chief negotiator in regular, cabinet-level talks between North and South Korea, said North Korea was also likely to demand economic assistance as part of any deal. He said that the North Koreans wanted a deal to be implemented with "simultaneous actions" by both sides.
Bureau Report
Jeong cited North Korea's new willingness to consider US President George W Bush's offer of multilateral security assurances in return for dropping its nuclear programmes.
Previously, North Korea had demanded a non-aggression treaty with the United States, a demand that Washington has ruled out.
Any agreement on the nuclear standoff is likely to take many rounds of tough negotiations. A key question is whether secretive North Korea would be willing to grant enough access for inspectors to verify that it has dismantled its nuclear facilities.
Jeong, the chief negotiator in regular, cabinet-level talks between North and South Korea, said North Korea was also likely to demand economic assistance as part of any deal. He said that the North Koreans wanted a deal to be implemented with "simultaneous actions" by both sides.
Bureau Report