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Rice skeptical of NKorea talks restart at ASEAN forum
Doha (AFP) Jul 27, 2006 US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice said Thursday she did not anticipate a resumption of six-nation talks on North Korea's nuclear program at a regional security forum in Malaysia. Rice told reporters en route to the forum that she would try to build on momentum created after a UN Security Council resolution was passed this month condemning North Korea for test firing seven missiles. "(But) I don't anticipate any six-party talks," she told reporters aboard a plane en route to the Malaysian capital. "I don't have any indication that the North Koreans intend to take up the call that was in the resolution that they should reengage (in six-nation disarmament talks)," said Rice, who will arrive in Kuala Lumpur later Thursday. However Rice said she would follow up on the North Korea issue with four of the parties to the talks, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia. And she said she would talk with other regional states that could help in reinforcing the Proliferation Security Initiative, a program designed to frustrate illegal shipments of arms between countries. Hectic diplomatic efforts have been under way this week in Malaysia, led by China and South Korea, to bring all six countries together and restart the talks that the North left in November in protest over US financial sanctions against it. Discussions have been proposed on the sidelines of the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) to try to resume the three-year-old talks that include North Korea. The chief US negotiator on North Korea, Christopher Hill, said Pyongyang had given no sign it would agree to attend these discussions. North Korean Foreign Minister Paek Nam-Sun is also due to arrive in Kuala Lumpur Thursday for the 26-nation ARF the following day. China, North Korea's major ally, said Wednesday it was "seriously concerned" about the situation on the Korean peninsula. North Korea test-fired seven missiles that splashed down in the Sea of Japan (East Sea), a move that prompted the Security Council resolution and widespread condemnation. Pyongyang dramatically upped the stakes this week ahead of the ARF, describing Rice as a "political imbecile" for criticising the July 5 missile launches. Foreign ministers of the member nations of ASEAN, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations, have also been meeting in Malaysia this week ahead of the ARF. Community Email This Article Comment On This Article Related Links
House expected to approve US-India nuclear energy bill
Washington (AFP) Jul 26, 2006 The US House of Representatives was expected late Wednesday to approve a controversial US-India civilian nuclear energy deal, which supporters said will be the cornerstone of a new strategic alliance between the two countries. |
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