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Powell Denies U.S. Inflexibility in Negotiations on North Korean Nuclear Program
U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell yesterday rejected suggestions by China and South Korea that the United States should have more flexibility in seeking a resolution to the standoff over North Korea’s nuclear program, the New York Times reported (see GSN, Oct. 26). South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, at a news conference with Powell yesterday in Seoul, said that the United States and other participants in the stalled six-party talks “must come up with a more creative and realistic proposal so that North Korea can come to the negotiating table as soon as possible.” The English translation of Ban’s remarks, according to South Korean journalists present at the conference, omitted the portion of his statement questioning the U.S. approach. Powell, therefore, appeared unaware of Ban’s apparent criticism, according to the Times (Steven Weisman, New York Times, Oct. 27). In an interview with NBC News, Powell yesterday responded to Ban’s statement and a similar request made Monday by China. The United States offered “a forward-leaning, flexible proposal” at the third round of six-party talks, Powell said. The White House said it would enter into a security agreement with the other parties in exchange for Pyongyang taking irreversible steps toward eliminating its nuclear program, he said. Powell also noted that North Korea has not yet formally responded to the U.S. proposal (see GSN, July 26). “We go into these negotiations with flexibility, we hear what the others have to say. But we’re not going to get into a position where every few weeks we have to put something else on the table in order to satisfy the North Koreans,” he said. “The North Koreans need to come back to the table so we can all sit around and discuss the proposal they put forward, the proposal we put forward, and the proposal the South Koreans put forward. The way to do this is at the discussion, not via press conferences or statements.” (State Department release, Oct. 26).
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