The United States will not engage in direct talks with North Korea that might weaken the multilateral process already in place, its chief nuclear negotiator said Thursday in response to growing calls by Congress to do so.
Christopher Hill, assistant secretary of state, said the missile standoff with Pyongyang is not expected to affect plans by a U.S. human rights envoy to visit a North Korean industrial complex, although the timing may be adjusted.
Testifying before the House Subcommittee on Asia and the Pacific, Hill said he has neither "ruled in or ruled out" his visit to Pyongyang, but said it was "problematic" that the invitation came as North Korea was preparing to launch a missile.
The diplomat leads the U.S. delegation to the so-called six-party process that involves South and North Korea, the U.S.,
China, Russia and Japan and aims at denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula.
The negotiations appeared to be on track in September when Pyongyang agreed to give up its nuclear weapons and programs in return for political and financial incentives from other parties.
They have been stalemated since a brief session in November, with Pyongyang boycotting to protest U.S. actions, also in September, penalizing a Macau bank it suspects of laundering profits from illicit North Korea activities, including counterfeiting American currency.
The nuclear talks have been complicated with the latest threat from Pyongyang, which apparently has positioned a long-range missile on a launch pad for possible test firing. In 1998, North Korea launched a three-stage rocket that flew over Japan.
North Korea repeatedly has demanded direct talks with the U.S.
to resolve these issues, but Washington says any dialogue should remain within the context of six-party talks.
Before the missile threat emerged, Pyongyang had invited Hill to come to North Korea.
Hill said the timing was unfavorable.
"I don't want to rule out or rule in a trip, a trip to a place like Pyongyang, although I must say it's a little problematic to be invited to Pyongyang at a time when they are aiming a missile," he said.
"I think what we have to avoid is the situation where the DPRK looks to direct talks not as a means to strengthen our communication or speed of our ability to get through the problems, but rather as a way to weaken the fundamental mechanism that we have, that is the six-party process," Hill told lawmakers.
DPRK, or the Democratic People's Republic of Korea, is North Korea's official name.
Pressure has been growing from the Congress for the Bush administration to talk directly with Pyongyang, saying the impasse was only giving North Korea time to bolster its arms stockpile.
But some former administration officials, notably former Defense Secretary William Perry, argued the U.S. should preemptively strike the North Korean missile to remove the threat.
"I must say, speaking personally, I am not sure a preemptive strike is the way to go," said Hill.
"I think we have an approach, and I believe our approach will be effective."
The diplomat said the key question is whether Pyongyang is serious about implementing the six-party agreement from September, a question, he said, that keeps him awake at nights.
"Are they serious... Do they have what it takes to get the deal done?" Hill posed as questions with some skepticism.
"...I want to see some sign that they are moving forward on this," he said.
"And what was worrisome to me is, I couldn't see that."
Hill was less skeptical about a possible visit by Jay Lefkowitz, the president's North Korea human rights envoy, to tour an industrial complex.
The Kaesong industrial park, an inter-Korean venture combining South Korea's capital with North Korea's cheap labor, has been questioned by some in the U.S. who say the labor conditions fall short of international standards and suspect the pay is actually going into the pockets of government officials rather than to the workers.
Lefkowitz is said to be considering a personal visit sometime next month.
While refusing to speculate, Hill indicated the visit and the missile situation wouldn't be linked.
"I don't think they are related matters," he said, "but obviously there will be confluence of time that could be problematic." Washington, June 29 (Yonhap News)
Negotiator rules out bilateral with N.K. that might weaken 6-party talks |
