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N.Korea seeks nuclear talks return: South

Posted on: Thursday, 23 March 2006, 06:39 CST

By Martin Nesirky and Jon Herskovitz

SEOUL (Reuters) - North Korea appears to be signaling a desire to return to stalled six-country talks on its nuclear programs and to be interested in breaking the deadlock, South Korea's foreign minister said on Thursday.

Ban Ki-moon -- a candidate for the post of U.N. secretary-general -- also told Reuters a visit next month by Chinese President Hu Jintao to the United States could help create the right atmosphere for the nuclear talks to resume.

Ban said North Korea had unfortunately linked U.S. action against Pyongyang's alleged counterfeiting of dollars to the six-party talks, which have been stalled since last November.

U.S. and North Korean officials met earlier this month to discuss the evidence Washington says it has of illicit activities by the North. Those activities include money laundering and drug trafficking as well as counterfeiting currency.

"We hope that North Koreans have realized all the serious implications of all these illicit activities," the minister said. "It seems to us the North Koreans are also very much interested in making a breakthrough in this stalled, deadlocked situation."

But he said it was impossible to say now when the talks might resume.

"Let us see. I am not in a position at this time to give you any positive dates or timeline but we are trying to do our best," he said in an interview at his ministry in central Seoul.

He said North Korea had recently declared its willingness to adopt international financial regulations, join a financial task force and punish anyone involved in the drug trade.

"These kind of announcements and measures taken by North Korea seem to suggest they are trying to send out some messages to us, particularly the United States," Ban said. "We need to be creative and try to be flexible to make this process resume and continue."

North Korea has stated in recent weeks it would be unthinkable to return to the nuclear talks while Washington is trying to topple its leaders through the financial measures.

It has also used trademark rhetoric to criticize the U.S. military presence in the South and threatened retaliation as U.S. and South Korean troops gear up for annual exercises next week.

"Now that the U.S. intention to stifle the DRPK has become very clear, the DPRK will react to it with a strong measure for self defense," the North's foreign ministry spokesman was quoted as saying on Thursday by the official KCNA news agency.

DPRK is short for the North's official name, the Democratic People's Republic of Korea. Pyongyang has in the past increased rhetoric before finding a face-saving compromise.

CONVERGENCE OF OPINIONS

Ban said U.S. authorities were scrutinizing documents taken from Macau's Banco Delta Asia. Washington suspects the bank helped launder North Korean funds from illicit activities.

"We hope that they will be able to finish this process as soon as possible and try to take some necessary actions," said Ban, referring to easing of restrictions on the bank.

"In such a case I think the North Koreans may be interested in trying to come back to the dialogue table."

Asked about his campaign to succeed Kofi Annan as U.N. secretary-general, Ban said it was not an Asian virtue to sing one's praises but it was Asia's turn to run the organization for the first time in more than three decades.

"Asia, comprising 3 billion people and 52 countries, I think, should be able to produce a credible and qualified candidate who could really serve as a distinguished secretary-general," he said.

"I can tell you generally I have been receiving favorable and positive responses, but I need to continue this kind of process until such time when member countries, the United Nations, will select somebody."

(Additional reporting by Jack Kim)

Source: REUTERS

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