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Powell says still no date for North Korea talks
Washington, Dec 06: US Secretary of State Colin Powell discussed North Korea with his Chinese counterpart but there is still no firm date for a second round of six-party nuclear talks.
Washington, Dec 06: US Secretary of State Colin Powell
discussed North Korea with his Chinese counterpart but there is
still no firm date for a second round of six-party nuclear talks.
In a telephone call to Foreign Minister Li Zhaoxing, ''We had a
discussion about the progress we were making toward the next
six-party meeting, which we hope will be in the not-too-distant
future,'' Powell told reporters yesterday after escorting Jordan's
King Abdullah from the State Department.
But asked about a firm date for the talks, he replied: ''not yet,
no.''
President George W Bush and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao are expected to discuss the issue when they meet at the white house next Tuesday. The United States, South Korea and Japan held working level discussions in Washington this week on North Korea but those did not produce a breakthrough either.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said that despite the lack of a date, the US-hosted meetings were useful. The United States, South Korea and Japan are ''ready to convene a second round before the end of the year and believe that is possible,'' he said.
''I think it was understood that the timing of the talks is a decision on which all parties must agree and that North Korea has not yet agreed to specific dates for the talks,'' he said.
The current nuclear crisis began in October 2002 when US Officials said Pyongyang had privately admitted pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program that violated its international agreements.
Bureau Report
President George W Bush and Chinese premier Wen Jiabao are expected to discuss the issue when they meet at the white house next Tuesday. The United States, South Korea and Japan held working level discussions in Washington this week on North Korea but those did not produce a breakthrough either.
State Department Deputy Spokesman Adam Ereli said that despite the lack of a date, the US-hosted meetings were useful. The United States, South Korea and Japan are ''ready to convene a second round before the end of the year and believe that is possible,'' he said.
''I think it was understood that the timing of the talks is a decision on which all parties must agree and that North Korea has not yet agreed to specific dates for the talks,'' he said.
The current nuclear crisis began in October 2002 when US Officials said Pyongyang had privately admitted pursuing a clandestine nuclear weapons program that violated its international agreements.
Bureau Report