Diplomacy expected ahead of North Korea talks
(AP)
Updated: 2005-10-05 15:17

South Korea's foreign minister said Wednesday his chief nuclear negotiator would visit the United States and China later this month to lay the groundwork for a new round of international disarmament talks on North Korea.

Ban Ki-moon also said China and the United States have similar plans to send envoys to other countries ahead of a new round of six-nation nuclear negotiations scheduled for early next month.

The minister did not provide any further specifics.

"We're going to dispatch our chief nuclear negotiator to the United States and China for advance consultations," Ban told a weekly press briefing. "There will be discussions on ... proactive steps each party can take" to implement last month's accord of goals and principles, he said without elaborating.

Last month's nuclear talks in Beijing produced a landmark accord where North Korea agreed to abandon its nuclear program in exchange for economic aid, security assurances and improved ties with the United States.

Implementation of the agreement — the first concrete outcome since the negotiating process began in 2003 — remains unclear because North Korea shortly thereafter attached conditions to its commitment to abandon nuclear its programs.

After the talks, chief U.S. negotiator Christopher Hill said he was willing to visit North Korea to keep channels of communication open, but many factors would determine whether such a visit could be made.

"I understand the United States is also drawing up various travel plans," Ban said. He added that he has no knowledge of whether Hill plans to visit Pyongyang.

North Korea has long tried to engage the United States in bilateral talks, believing such meetings would boost its international status and help it win bigger concessions at the nuclear talks also involving China, Japan, Russia and South Korea.