Published: September 14, 2005
U.S. Aims for Statement of Agreed Principles on North Korea
Pyongyang's position may be "evolving" ahead of talks, Ambassador Hill says
After a four-week hiatus, the fourth round of the Six-Party Talks aimed at removing the threat of nuclear weapons from the Korean Peninsula resumed in Beijing September 13.
The United States is eager to achieve a statement of agreed principles regarding the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons programs, says Ambassador Christopher Hill, the top U.S. negotiator for the talks that also include North and South Korea, Russia, Japan and China.
Upon his arrival in Beijing September 13, Hill told reporters that after the first session in Beijing, which lasted 13 days and ended in August, "we thought we had a lot of common points … albeit we didn't reach the objective. The point of this session would be to achieve that objective."
Hill said he hoped that there will be no backsliding and that the resumed talks will pick up where they left off. "We'd like to try to move this along in the next few days. We don't feel the need to spend 13 full days here. We think we can progress more quickly than that," he said.
According to Hill, the North Korean position seems "to be evolving a little."
"I think the DPRK [Democratic People's Republic of Korea] took the time during the recess to think about what it is that they need…. [W]e know from various visitors to Pyongyang and from various press accounts that issues that were not prominent issues in the first round seem to be achieving a little more prominence. Although, I emphasize that they did talk about the light water reactor in the end of the round in August and I suspect that will be an issue as we sit down tomorrow. "
According to Hill, "the fundamental question is whether the DPRK is prepared to abandon its nuclear programs." Its nuclear reactors, he said, are involved with the production of materials for nuclear weapons. "Whether the issue of future civilian use turns out to be an important issue or not, I can't say at this point," he said.
If Pyongyang abandons its nuclear weapons programs, there are proposals for "compensating measures" to address its economic and security needs, Hill said.
"They also include the idea that the energy needs of the DPRK would be met largely through a South Korean conventional energy program which would insure that within just two-and-a half to three years the DPRK would be receiving energy," he said.
Hill noted that North Korea's production and distribution of power has dropped to one-third of what it was 15 years ago. But according to Hill, "a light water reactor really goes beyond what the participants in the process have to offer."
North Korea "should think very hard about" about the offer for conventional power supply "because it really meets a lot of their needs," he said.
Hill said there is no hard deadline for this session of talks. "I think we all have a view of really trying to make progress and trying to achieve an agreement so we didn't pin down too hard the issue of a deadline," he said.
Source: U.S. Department of State
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