[USFK Forums] U.S. envoy asks Seoul to link aid, 6-way talks [JoongAng]

[C. Y. Lee]

[Uploaded by C. Y. Lee on Tuesday, December 13, 2005]
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U.S. envoy asks Seoul to link aid, 6-way talks

Warns that technology transfers could strengthen North’s military

December 13, 2005 ㅡ Ignoring North Korean growls over the weekend that earlier remarks had jeopardized nuclear weapons negotiations, Alexander Vershbow, the U.S. ambassador to Korea, said yesterday that if those nuclear talks failed, Pyongyang would be to blame.

He also asked that Seoul’s economic projects in the North should be “coordinated” with those negotiations. The signals from North Korea in recent days have not been encouraging, as they have raised artificial obstacles to the renewal of talks, the ambassador told a forum organized by the Korea Institute of International Economic Policy.

Last Wednesday, Mr. Vershbow described Pyongyang as a “criminal regime” in criticizing its human rights record and alleged involvement in currency counterfeiting. Those comments drew an angry response from Pyongyang, which warned that he had put the six-nation talks to strip the North of its nuclear weapons and programs in jeopardy.

With typical hyperbole, the North said Mr. Vershbow’s words were tantamount to a declaration of war. Washington has slapped financial sanctions on eight North Korean companies suspected of involvement in mass weapons proliferation; it also accused a bank in Macao of helping Pyongyang launder money and distribute counterfeit $100 bills.

Those sanctions, which observers said could crimp Pyongyang’s access to foreign exchange, have become a stumbling block in the nuclear talks. Pyongyang has demanded that the sanctions be lifted before it returns to the negotiating table.

Mr. Vershbow also warned yesterday that Seoul should be cautious in inter-Korean economic cooperation. Coordination of our efforts is necessary,” he said. We cannot make the mistake of transferring technologies that will end up increasing the North’s military threat.

While reiterating that Washington does not oppose inter-Korean cooperation per se, he added without further elaboration, We also see a need for coordination between economic cooperation and progress on the six-party talks. The tone of the ambassador’s speech reflected Washington’s deep distrust of Pyongyang’s intentions in the nuclear talks.

Saying he hoped the negotiations would resume next month, he nonetheless added. It remains to be seen whether North Korea is truly prepared to eliminate its nuclear programs.

by Brian Lee