Text Fwd: S. Korea welcomes outcome of U.S.-China summit

Yonhap News
S. Korea welcomes outcome of U.S.-China summit
Jan. 20, 2011

Excerpt

The joint statement issued after the meeting said that the two leaders "emphasized importance of an improvement in North-South relations and agreed that sincere and constructive inter-Korean dialogue is an essential step," a stance that is in line with the South's position.

Obama and Hu also "expressed concern regarding the DPRK's claimed uranium enrichment program" and called for "the necessary steps that would allow for early resumption" of the six-party talks on the North's nuclear programs, according to the statement.

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However, a foreign ministry official cautioned against hasty optimism about China's position, saying that expressing concern is one thing and how to deal with it is another.

"We should hear more about how the two sides agreed to deal with it," he said, also requesting anonymity. "In light of the Chinese stance so far, chances of its agreement (to any Council action) are not high."

Since the start of this year, North Korea has stepped up peace overtures and called for unconditional talks with the South, a move that fits the typical pattern of Pyongyang's behavior of raising tensions with provocations and then calling for dialogue to extract concessions.

In response, South Korea and the U.S. have said that Pyongyang should first improve relations with Seoul by taking responsibility for the island shelling as well as the March sinking of a South Korean warship, and demonstrate its denuclearization commitment through action.

Six-party talks bring together the two Koreas, China, Japan, Russia and the U.S. The talks have been stalled for more than two years since the last meeting in December 2008.

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2011/01/21 09:11 KST