Thanks to the Chinese

Pyongyang promised to return to nuclear negotiations

Yesterday, encouraging news came from Beijing about the resumption of negotiations on the North Korean nuclear program in the near future. This decision emerged as a result of an informal meeting in the Chinese capital of Deputy Foreign Minister of the DPRK Kim Kye Gwan, his Chinese counterpart Wu Dawei and US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs Christopher Hill. These senior diplomats lead their countries' delegations to the six-party talks. Communication between representatives of North and South Korea, China, Russia, the USA and Japan was interrupted in the fall of 2005.

Since then, the situation has changed dramatically - in early October, Pyongyang conducted nuclear tests, and in response, the UN Security Council imposed sanctions against the DPRK. However, China and the United States have already expressed cautious optimism about resuming negotiations. "I'm pleased and I want to thank the Chinese," President George W. Bush said yesterday, crediting Beijing for its contribution to reducing tensions over Korea. Negotiations could resume in November or December, but, according to Mr. Hill, "there is still a long way to go and the time for champagne and cigars has not come."

Deputy Foreign Minister of the Russian Federation Alexander Alekseev, who heads the Russian delegation at the negotiations, assessed the news from Beijing “extremely positively”. However, he indicated that it remains unclear whether the resumption of negotiations will be “unconditional.” Previously, Pyongyang demanded the lifting of US financial sanctions against its companies as a precondition for returning to the six-party group.

Christopher Hill considered these conditions of the DPRK “inappropriate,” but did not rule out the creation of a working group to discuss the sanctions imposed by the Americans. Yesterday, Secretary of the Russian Security Council Igor Ivanov spoke in favor of direct dialogue between the United States and the DPRK within the framework of the “six-sided group.” In his opinion, this platform is “very suitable for considering all issues related to resolving the North Korean nuclear problem, as well as convenient for considering bilateral issues of the participants in these negotiations.”

US Representative Hill would like to leave in force the anti-Pyongyang resolution of the UN Security Council of October 14, because the DPRK authorities have not made a promise to curtail nuclear development. Japan set its own conditions for resuming negotiations. The head of its Foreign Ministry, Taro Aso, said yesterday that “all five participants will not agree with North Korea returning to negotiations as a nuclear power.” He demanded that Pyongyang “curtail its nuclear weapons program before resuming negotiations.” Hill adhered to the same position at yesterday's meeting, but it does not inspire other participants in the process.

Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao, in response to the Japanese statement, noted that Beijing “will continue consultations with all participants regarding the future prospects of the six-party meetings.” Alexander Alekseev is convinced that the negotiations should be governed by the compromise principle expressed in the joint statement of the “six” of September 19, 2005 - “assurances in exchange for assurances, actions in response to actions.” Seoul's position will become clearer tomorrow in Moscow at a meeting between Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and future UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon, who is completing his tenure as head of the South Korean Foreign Ministry.

Yesterday, Beijing denied rumors about the cessation of Chinese assistance to Pyongyang. Foreign Ministry spokesman Liu Jianchao said that “China is conducting normal economic trade with the DPRK,” aimed at “raising the living standards” of the northerners. Earlier, information appeared that China had sharply reduced supplies of fuel oil and diesel fuel to North Korea. It is possible that in this way Beijing was able to clearly explain to Pyongyang that there are limits to the DPRK’s nuclear self-assertion, and the time has come to return to the negotiating table.

Katerina LABETSKAYA