No immediate nuke talks: Bosworth

Stephen Bosworth, Washington`s special envoy on North Korea, yesterday ruled out immediate dialogue with the communist state, although he said that Washington remains willing to make high-level contact with North Koreans.

He also once again urged Pyongyang to refrain from launching either a missile or a satellite, saying it would be a violation of a United Nations Security Council resolution.

"For the most part, the U.S. has been willing to make high-level contact with the North koreans ... we will remain fully engaged with them and we will coordinate very closely. But that doesn`t mean we are going to be immediately in agreement and it certainly doesn`t mean that in this case our commitment to the six-party process is any less," he said.

There had been some speculation that the envoy may visit the North during his tour here.

Regarding North Korea`s reportedly imminent missile launch - which the North claims to be a satellite - Bosworth reiterated that regardless what it is, the launch would be in violation of the U.N. Resolution 1718.

"We`ve discussed extensively the possibility of a North Korean missile launch and I think first of all we`re in strong agreeement as are all the other members of the five parties of that this would be extremely ill advised for North korea to do this. We and (South Korea) clearly view it as a contravention to the U.N. Security Council Resolution 1718 and we`ve agreed to remain in very close consultations as we move forward on this subject," the envoy said.

The former U.S. ambassador to South Korea arrived on Saturday for a four-day visit as a part of his three-nation tour.

Seoul was the final stop following earlier visits to Beijing and Tokyo. The envoy departs for Washington this morning.

Responding to Bosworth, Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan said he was confident of progress based on coordinated efforts from Seoul and Washington.

The two allies, under presidents Lee Myung-bak and Barack Obama, have lately been upping cooperation on the issue of North Korea regarding both the six-party talks for denuclearizing the communist state and its reportedly imminent missile launch.

Seoul and Washington, based on intelligence reports, believe that, contrary to what it claims about launching a satellite into orbit, the North will test fire a missile. The missile will likely be the Taepodong-2, a long-range missile estimated to be capable of reaching U.S. territory.

Besides his talks with Yu, Bosworth paid a courtesy call to President Lee and held meetings with Unification Minister Hyun In-taek and Seoul`s chief nuclear negotiator Wi Sung-lac to further discuss the missile and denuclearization strategies.

Six-party talks aimed at getting the North to abandon its nuclear ambitions are expected to restart following a four-month hiatus on disagreement between Washington and Pyongyang over a nuclear verification protocol.

Bosworth was also briefed on the North Korean military by Gen. Walter Sharp, the commander of the 28,500 U.S. troops stationed here. He also met separately with South Korean Defense Minister Lee Sang-hee.

The allied militaries have been intensifying alert on continued threats from the North. Pyongyang yesterday cut off military communication lines with Seoul and also called for its military to be prepared for a war with the South.

The North claimed that the allied joint military drill - the Key Resolve/Foal Eagle exercise - was the cause of tension between the two Koreas.

By Kim Ji-hyun



(jemmie@heraldm.com)