The Hindu : Multilateral talks on N. Korea likely

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Thursday, Apr 17, 2003

International

International

Multilateral talks on N. Korea likely

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE April 16. The prospects of a "multilateral dialogue'' on North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons programme have brightened following a strong indication by South Korea today that the issue might be discussed in Beijing early next week.

To begin with, the U.S. and North Korea besides China would participate in such talks likely to be held on April 23.

However, South Korea had, earlier in the day, indicated that such trilateral talks, a prelude to the multilateral format, would begin as early as next week. South Korea, Russia and Japan are expected to join the U.S. as also China and North Korea.

Even as South Korea broke the possibility of this new development, its President, Roh Moo-hyun, expressed the hope in Seoul today that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) might be amenable to renouncing its suspected two-track nuclear-weapons programmes if it were to receive international guarantees about its security and economic well-being.

The development has been made possible by the shift in the DPRK's stand — from an insistence on a direct dialogue with Washington on the nuclear issue — to a stated willingness to consider other formats of dialogue. It is in this context that the meeting will mark a half-step, for the time being, towards a truly multilateral format.

These indications have come in the context of Washington's position that the nuclear issue should be discussed on a regional basis, whatever might be the initial format without being an exclusive U.S.-DPRK dialogue as such.

Washington's new sense of urgency has been reflected in the American political circles as well, with at least one Senator describing the DPRK as the "black hole'' of North-East Asia.

South Korea has interpreted the shift in the DPRK's stand as a response to the manner in which the U.S. has been able to silence the Iraqi guns. While noting that the turn of events in Iraq might have placed North Korea in a disadvantageous position on the international scene, South Korea is understood to be taking the line that China and Russia could have also played a role behind the scenes, according to regional diplomatic observers.

A spokesman of the North Korean Foreign Ministry had said last week-end that "if the U.S. is ready to make a bold switch-over in its Korea policy for a settlement of the nuclear issue, the DPRK will not stick to any particular dialogue format''.

The solution to this issue "depends on what is the real intention of the U.S.,'' Pyongyang said, underlining that "what matters is the U.S.'' even in a multilateral framework.

For South Korea and Japan, the latest nuance in the North Korean position has acquired greater significance and relevance following the comments by the U.S. President, George W. Bush. Emphasising that `the best way to deal with their (North Korean) proliferation is through a multi-national forum'', Mr. Bush has said that "it looks like that might be coming to fruition''.

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