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| North Korea prepared to have dialogue with US: Richardson |
| Lalit K Jha/ PTI / Washington Aug 20, 2009, 08:36 IST |
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A former US Ambassador to the United Nations today said that he sees a possible thaw in relationship between the US and North Korea and a signal from the latter to engage in diplomatic talks with the Obama Administration.
"I do see a possible thaw... I sense with the North Koreans that they are now prepared to have a dialogue with us," Bill Richardson, also the Governor of New Mexico, told MSNBC in an interview, soon after he met two North Korean diplomats, who travelled from New York to meet him.
Pyongyang does not have diplomatic relationship with the US, but it has its Permanent Mission to the United Nations in New York.
As per existing agreement, the North Korean diplomats attached with country's mission at the UN are required to take permission to travel outside the 25 miles perimeter of the New York city. The state department had given them the necessary permission.
Richardson said the North Korean diplomats, whom he had known for long, had requested for the meeting. "What I sensed was, one, the temperature has really cooled down in the relationship. It was very hostile. I think the Clinton visit has helped a lot in the release of the two Americans. And I sense with the North Koreans that they are now prepared to have a dialogue with us," he said.
"The issue then becomes is it within the Six Party talks or bilaterally, face-to-face with US officials and North Korean officials. The North Koreans want face-to-face. They think the Six-Party talks are not working and they don't want to return to that. But at least the temperature is way down," Richardson said giving a sense of the meeting.
He would be meeting again with the North Korean diplomats tomorrow. However, Richardson clarified that he is not negotiating as he is not a member of the Administration. "They've come here twice before, and if I can be helpful to get the two countries closer, I'll do that," he observed.
Richardson said the North Korean diplomats spoke positively of the Clinton visit and they seem to want to engage now. "But for the last eight months, they've been very negative, very hostile, they've been shooting missiles. So, maybe there is a little thaw, and possibly it's signaled by the visit here," he said.
The North Koreans clearly feel that they are owed something, that they released the two Americans and that they want a gesture in return, Richardson said. "So we're going to continue talking," he said.
Richardson conceded that it would be hard to keep South Korea, Japan, China out of any discussion with North Korea because all of them want the country to eliminate its nuclear weapons.
"We want regional stability in Asia. But maybe there's a framework that involves fewer participants in the Six-Party talks. Maybe, as Secretary Clinton has said, a bilateral discussion within the Six-Party talks.
"Now the North Koreans are not accepting that now, but, you know, there's negotiation and bargaining and diplomacy that has to take place, and, you know, again, I'm not negotiating, but they are telling me things that they are prepared to do. And I'm going to pass them on and leave it up to them," Richardson said.
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