No Plan for American diplomats to visit N Korea: US

Amid reports that North Korea has invited top American diplomats to Pyongyang for bilateral dialogue, the United States has asserted that there is no such plan for its officials to travel to the country.

The Obama Administration also reiterated its condition for having any bilateral dialogue with North Korea within the framework of six-party talks.

"It's no secret that the North Korean government would like to have a bilateral dialogue with us. It is also very clear what our own position is on this, that we would welcome talks with North Korea, but only in the context of multi- lateral talks," State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said.

 

"What we are concentrating on right now is consulting with our four-party partners on what the best way forward is in reaching our goal, which is getting North Korea to return to the Six-Party Talks, and with the ultimate goal of the denuclearisation of the Korean Peninsula," Kelly said.

Responding to media reports about the invitation coming from North Korea, Kelly refrained from making any comments but asserted that there is no plan for the US diplomats to go to Pyongyang at present. "We have no plans — Ambassador Bosworth has no plans, Ambassador Kim has no plans to go to North Korea."

"We don't want to disenfranchise our partners in this with our four-party partners. This is a regional security issue. It has to be resolved regionally," he said reiterating the importance of six-party talks.