U.S. official in Seoul steps up pressure on DPRK over nuclear program
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E-mail Xinhua, January 26, 2011
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State James Steinberg, in Seoul for talks with South Korean officials, said Wednesday that he hopes Pyongyang's perceived conciliatory gestures, including its proposal for the military talks, reflect its will to "move into a more constructive relationship with South Korea."
Echoing Seoul's repeated calls for its neighbor's sincerity in coming out for talks, the diplomat said that close cooperation between Seoul and Washington seems to have pressured Pyongyang. "It's been very important that North Korea understands that these provocations will not be tolerated by any of us and I think the strong coordination and cooperation between the U.S. and South Korea both on a military and a political level has sent a strong message to North Korea," said Steinberg, describing the Seoul- Washington ties "like sticky rice cakes."
"It's very important that the international community send a strong message that the uranium enrichment program, indeed any uranium enrichment program by North Korea (DPRK), would be inconsistent with its international obligations, with Security Council resolutions and with its own commitments under the 2005 joint declaration," Steinberg told reporters after meeting with South Korean foreign minister Kim Sung-hwan. "The clear message coming out of the summit between President Obama and President Hu should help drive that message home," Steinberg added, referring to the recent summit in Washington between the Chinese and U.S. leaders.
Steinberg, who arrived in Seoul earlier in the day for a two- day visit as part of his Asian trip, briefed South Korean officials on the outcome of the Beijing-Washington summit. Beijing understands the importance of "rebuilding trust" in South Korea in order to "move forward to more broad-based dialogue," Steinberg said of the summit.
At the summit, Hu and Obama voiced opposition in unison to "all activities inconsistent with" Pyongyang's pledged commitment to ending its nuclear program and urged "necessary steps" to reopen the stalled six-party nuclear disarmament talks in the near future.
South Korea has welcomed the outcome of the summit, saying it is "in line with" its policy direction regarding DPRK issues.
Steinberg's trip came amid lingering cross-border tension on the Korean peninsula following the alleged Pyongyang's sinking of a South Korean warship and the exchanged artillery fire between the North and the South on an inhabited island, which altogether killed 50 South Koreans.
Amid heightened tensions with the DPRK, South Korea also conducted a series of live-fire military exercises around the country including a western island near a disputed sea border with the DPRK.
Pyongyang has denied its involvement in the sinking and claimed the shelling was a self-defensive measure against a military drill between South Korea and the United States near a disputed sea border.
Steinberg's trip also follows Seoul's proposal for talks with Pyongyang over ending its nuclear program. The estranged Koreas are also looking to hold a meeting that they hope would lead to high-level military talks aimed at defusing tensions on the divided peninsula.
Steinberg's Asian trip will also bring him to Japan and China.
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