N. Korea ready to hold talks, Carter says
Source: Agencies |
April 29, 2011, Friday
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NORTH Korean leader Kim Jong Il is ready to hold direct talks with South Korea but Pyongyang will not apologize for two deadly attacks on the divided peninsula last year, former US President Jimmy Carter said yesterday.
Carter returned from a three-day trip to Pyongyang having failed to meet Kim, but he and three other former state leaders - known as the Elders - received a last-minute message from the leader saying he was willing to talk with anyone at anytime without preconditions.
"He specifically told us he is prepared to meet directly with (South Korean) President Lee Myung-bak any time," Carter said in Seoul.
If Kim was willing to discuss nuclear and other military issues with South Korea, it would mark a change in policy - North Korea has previously said it would only discuss them with the United States.
"Chairman and General Secretary Kim Jong Il said he is willing and the people of North Korea are willing to negotiate with South Korea or with the United States or with the six powers on any subject any time and without any preconditions," Carter said.
Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, also said senior North Korean officials had "expressed deep regret ... for the loss of life of those on the Cheonan (warship) and of the civilians who were killed on the Yeonpyeong island", but did not apologize for last year's incidents.
South Korea has insisted that North Korea apologize for its actions, although North Korea denies it sank the naval vessel.
South Korea demands that North Korea take responsibility for the attacks if inter-Korean talks are to make progress.
Carter returned from a three-day trip to Pyongyang having failed to meet Kim, but he and three other former state leaders - known as the Elders - received a last-minute message from the leader saying he was willing to talk with anyone at anytime without preconditions.
"He specifically told us he is prepared to meet directly with (South Korean) President Lee Myung-bak any time," Carter said in Seoul.
If Kim was willing to discuss nuclear and other military issues with South Korea, it would mark a change in policy - North Korea has previously said it would only discuss them with the United States.
"Chairman and General Secretary Kim Jong Il said he is willing and the people of North Korea are willing to negotiate with South Korea or with the United States or with the six powers on any subject any time and without any preconditions," Carter said.
Carter, a Nobel Peace Prize winner, also said senior North Korean officials had "expressed deep regret ... for the loss of life of those on the Cheonan (warship) and of the civilians who were killed on the Yeonpyeong island", but did not apologize for last year's incidents.
South Korea has insisted that North Korea apologize for its actions, although North Korea denies it sank the naval vessel.
South Korea demands that North Korea take responsibility for the attacks if inter-Korean talks are to make progress.
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