US Approves Meeting between DPRK's Official, Richardson

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Friday, January 10, 2003

US Approves Meeting between DPRK's Official, Richardson

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The Bush administration has given permission to a meeting between senior official from the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and former US ambassador to the United Nations Bill Richardson, the White House said on Thursday.

Han Song Ryol, DPRK's deputy permanent representative at the United Nations, will meet with Richardson, who is now Governor of New Mexico State, to discuss the dispute between the two countries over Pyongyang's nuclear programs, White House spokesman Ari Fleischer said.

Richardson called the State Department when Han contacted him with a request for a meeting, and US Secretary of State Colin Powell told Richardson he had no objection.

State Department spokesman Richard Boucher said Powell told Richardson to make clear he was not speaking on behalf of the United States.

Richardson, who visited DPRK on two diplomatic missions as a member of US congress during the 1990s, said he wanted "to be able to help my country."

"I support the administration's policy. I am going to try to be helpful. I am not an official negotiator. The administration has many channels that they are pursuing with the North Koreans," Richardson said.

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