NK`s Conventional Military Weapon: Major Agenda of NK-U.S. Dialogue

U.S. Secretary of State Colin Powell stated yesterday that the North Korean conventional military posture would be a major agenda of the North-U.S. talks in the future even though the discussion on the matter was not a prerequisite for the resumption of dialogue.

Powell explained at a press conference after the ROK-U.S. Foreign minister meeting, saying ``the difference [of the Bush administration] from the Clinton administration is to broaden the agenda of the dialogue to the North Korean conventional weapons and the humanitarian matters in addition to the nuclear missile.

In terms of the timetable, Powell said to the reporters, ``I assume they will resume in New York, . . . That would be the first point of entry.`` And he added, ``we don`t have a date yet. We have to wait to hear from the North Koreans, but we will be reaching out to them in the very near future and hope we get a quick response.``

Regarding the Agreed Framework, he remarked, ``at this moment, we have not found any reason to change.`` However, he left open the possibility of amendment or improvement of the Geneva Agreed Framework. He said that the U.S. expected the NK`s compliance of its responsibilities when the time for the North to follow the requests of IAEA comes up.

In advance, Powell explained the North Korean policy of the Bush administration to Korea`s Foreign Minister Han Seung-Soo at the exclusive and expanded meetings with Korean side.

Minister Han said that Powell had clarified that the U.S. policy aimed to encourage the peace and security of the Korean peninsula. And Mr. Han said that the Bush administration confirmed its support to the inter-Korean reconciliation and cooperation policy of the Kim Dae-Jung administration.

Foreign Minister Han remarked at the meeting, ``Korean government welcomes the statement of U.S. President George Bush to have earnest discussion with the North and appreciate the U.S. effort to reflect the Korea`s opinion to the outcome of the policy review, by the close cooperation between the two nations.``

Meanwhile, in terms of the steel industry that is on the stage of the ROK-U.S. trade conflicts, Han stated that it was inappropriate that the U.S. tried to solve the problems of the U.S. steel industry by the `safe guard.` He also warned that the U.S. approach would negatively affect the early set-off of the WTO`s New Round.

Boo Hyung-Kwon bookum90@donga.com