US official says DPRK's denuclearation is precondition of peace talks
2/11/2007 17:00
The United States will only join the talks for establishing a permanent
peace agreement on the Korean Peninsula after the Democratic People's Republic
of Korea (DPRK) has substantially disabled its nuclear facilities, said
Christopher Hill, the US chief negotiator for the six-party talks today in
Seoul.
"Our position, which we've had for a long time and continue to have,
is upon substantial disablement...we would hope that we could begin a peace
negotiation process that would conclude and that we could reach a final peace
arrangement when the DPRK finally abandons its nuclear weapons and nuclear
programs," the U. S. official said after meeting with his South Korean
counterpart Chun Young-woo.
South Korean President Roh said earlier this
month that South Korea, DPRK, the United States and China should hold talks to
establish a permanent peace agreement to replace the armistice treaty signed in
July 1953.
Hill arrived in Seoul late yesterday from a visit to
Beijing.
Xinhua
|
