Pyongyang rules out prospects of dialogue with Seoul after its criticism of the country’s human rights record; US and South Korea: Six-Party talks remain ‘heart’ of the effort to ensure North Korea’s nuclear disarmament
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Reacting to South Korea’s criticism of its human rights records, Pyongyang rules out the prospects of any dialogue with Seoul in the near future1.
Russian Prime Minister Vladimir Putin, ahead of his visit to Japan, urged for calm and warned of the dangers of an arms race in Asia in the aftermath of the launch of a long-range rocket by Pyongyang. He also called for a return to six-party talks, comprising China, the two Koreas, Japan, Russia and the United States2.
A similar sentiment was expressed by US envoy Stephen Bosworth and South Korean officials who met in Seoul. The two sides reiterated that the six-party negotiating process remained “the heart" of the effort to ensure North Korea's nuclear disarmament3.
- 1. “N. Korea Rules Out Dialogue with S. Korea,” VOA News, May 9, 2009, at http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-05-09-voa12.cfm
- 2. “Russia's Putin warns against arms race over N.Korea,” Reuters, May 10, 2009, at http://in.reuters.com/article/worldNews/idINIndia-39525020090510
- 3. “US, S. Korea stand by six-party North Korean talks: US,” Associate Foreign Press, May 8, 2009, at http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5hYkcwK0X-pp9N55XA2_vq...