*EPF407 09/23/2004
Six-Party Talks Only Option to Denuclearize Korean Peninsula
(Powell says N. Korean missile test would not change U.S. policy) (430)

By Judy Aita
Washington File Staff Writer

New York -- There is no substitute for the six-party talks to denuclearize the Korean peninsula, Secretary of State Colin Powell said September 23.
��
"The six party process is still very much alive" despite North Korea's refusal to attend a fourth round of talks that was scheduled for this month, Powell told reporters at a press conference held while he is attending the opening of the 59th U.N. General Assembly. Powell met privately earlier in the day with South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-Moon.
��
Asked about reports that North Korea may be prepared to test-fire a missile capable of hitting its neighbors, the secretary said that "it would be very unfortunate if the North Koreans were to do something like this and break out of the moratorium that they have been following for a number of years," but it would not change the U.S. approach.
��
"We would stay very firmly embedded in the six-party framework, and we would not be intimidated with respect to our policies," the secretary said.

A North Korean missile test "would be a very troubling matter for China, Russia, Japan, and South Korea who are within range of such missiles," Powell said, adding: "I think that the neighbors of North Korea would register strong concerns to such an action."
��
The secretary said that it is hard to tell why Pyongyang is delaying its return to the six-party talks. "Maybe they are waiting for the United States election to be over. Maybe they are reflecting on the information that has come out of South Korea with respect to some of South Korea's (nuclear program) experimentation of a very benign nature over the last several years," he said.
��
"It is hard to predict what the North Koreans are waiting for, but it is absolutely clear the six party talks are the way forward," Powell said. "There is no other plan, there is no substitute for the six-party talks."
��
The six parties -- North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan, Russia and the United States -- expressed a desire for a denuclearized peninsula, the secretary said. "That remains our goal and we hope that the North Koreans realize that the sooner they return to the six-party format and begin discussions again at the fourth round . . . the sooner we will be able to help North Korea deal with its very serious economic problems."

(The Washington File is a product of the Bureau of International Information Programs, U.S. Department of State. Web site: http://usinfo.state.gov)

Return to Public File Main Page

Return to Public Table of Contents