Unification Minister Chung: “Six-Way Talks Deadlocked by U.S., North Korean Animosity”

The unification minister and the head of the standing committee of the National Security Council (NSC) Chung Dong-young, who is visiting China, made a courtesy call on Wu Bangguo, the president of the Standing Committee of the National People`s Congress of China, and delivered a private letter from President Roh Moo-hyun.

It was known that President Roh mentioned in his autograph letter, “I appreciate the efforts of the Chinese government to try and peacefully solve the nuclear problem of North Korea through the six-way talks,” and urged, “As China has more opportunities to visit North Korea as well as contact them, I hope that China cooperates much more aggressively in the future.”

Previously, on the spot where minister Chung met Wang Jiarui, the minister of the international department of China`s Communist party, Chung insinuated the six-way talks were deadlocked due to the opposition of the U.S and North Korea, by saying, “The present situation is just like the fight of the stork and the clam, where the stork and the clam bite each other’s vulnerable spots and do not let go.”

Minister Chung also added, “If (the U.S and North Korea) do not make a decision on an early stage, then a situation of ‘a fish in troubled waters’ may occur.”

Accordingly, the minister of the international department, Wang, said, “We need to solve the nuclear problem of North Korea step by step.” and added, “First, we should make progress at the conference and then try to find a solution for the problem within the framework.”

Minister Chung had a series of conversations while having dinner with foreign minister Li Zhaoxing and executive vice foreign minister Dai Binguo at the Diaoyutai State Guest House.

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