Change of DPRK's Attitude Attracts Attention

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Last updated at: (Beijing Time) Wednesday, April 16, 2003

Change of DPRK's Attitude Attracts Attention

On April 12, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) said, "If the United States has the intention to boldly change its policy toward DPRK for a solution to the nuclear problem, DPRK will not confine itself to the form of dialog". This change in its attitude immediately aroused great attention of the public opinion.

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At a time when various versions on the prospect for the solution of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) nuclear problem were presented one after another by the media, on April 12, a spokesperson for the Foreign Ministry said in his speech, "If the United States has the intention to boldly change its policy toward DPRK for a solution to the nuclear problem, DPRK will not confine itself to the form of dialog". This change in its attitude immediately aroused great attention of the public opinion.

Four major factors for DPRK's policy adjustment

It is known to all that on the nuclear issue, DPRK has all along insisted on "bilateral dialog between DPRK and the United States", while the United States has resolutely stuck to its stand on "multilateral dialog", the two sides reached an impasse for neither side made concessions. Lately, however, DPRK suddenly adjusted its policy, turning from "DPRK -US bilateral dialog" to "multilateral dialog".

According to the public opinion of the Republic of Korea (ROK) and analysis of experts on the peninsular issue, the change of DPRK's stand is caused mainly by the following four major factors:

I.China plays a tremendous role. Leading newspapers of the ROK, such as the Chosun Ilbo, the Dong-A Ilbo and the Joong-Ang Daily, published headline articles on the front page on April 14, saying that China has played an active role in the DPRK nuclear issue. Additionally, the ROK transmitted information to DPRK through various channels during this period. DPRK and the United States also made contacts through various channels between January and March.

II.UN Security Council's veto of the resolution on the DPRK nuclear issue prompted it to make up its mind to change its stand. In the opinion of a ROK university professor, on April 9, the Security Council did not pass the resolution censuring DPRK for the nuclear issue due to opposition by China and some other countries, this gave an encouragement to DPRK which held that conducting multilateral talks was one of the effective ways to avoid UN sanctions.

III.DPRK does not hope to be confronted with the United States, it wishes to solve the nuclear issue peacefully. DPRK has consistently stressed that as long as the United States gives up its policy of hostility toward DPRK, it is willing to improve relations with the United States. An analytical article published in the Joong-Ang Daily of the ROK said the unexpected "quick victory" won by the United States in the Iraq War has prompted DPRK to reconsider its own stance. US experts on the DPRK issue analyzed: Through the Iraq War, DPRK has seen the tough attitude of the United States in defiance of the opposition of the international community as well as the predominant superior military strength of US troops.

The swift reactions made by various countries At the press conference held in the White House on April 13, US President George W. Bush twice emphasized: In regard to solving the DPRK nuclear issue, we think desirable progress has been seen in all aspects. With regard to settling the DPRK nuclear issue, the United States has consistently advocated that the issue must be resolved through multilateral consultations, now we can say it is already time to bear fruits. He added: Both China and the ROK agree that the Korean Peninsula must be nuclear-free. Here there exist common interests. I think the problem concerning non-nuclearizing the Korean Peninsula can be solved through diplomatic channels. Regarding this, I am full of hopes.

A ROK official in charge of foreign affairs and commerce said on April 14: "DPRK's agreement on holding multilateral talks is a progress worth affirmation for peacefully solving the nuclear issue". The US Washington Post revealed that the United States will explain its measures for holding multilateral talks through diplomatic channels, the newspaper said that the United States and DPRK will soon contact each other to make preparations for multilateral talks. According to a report of Kyodo News Service, China will send a delegation to the ROK and Japan to jointly consult matters on the holding of multilateral talks. When ROK President Roh Moo-hyun visits the United States in mid-May, he will conduct concrete consultations with President Bush on matter concerning multilateral talks.

When meeting with reporters on the morning of April 14, Japanese Chief Cabinet Secretary Yasuo Fukuda said that the DPRK side has expressed a flexible attitude toward solving the nuclear issue through multilateral consultations, Japan expressed its welcome to this. Fukuda said that DPRK's expression of its attitude is a good omen, a good starting point, which contains DPRK's wishes to solve problems, therefore, its future movement merits great attention.

The United States demands an exorbitant price

On April 15, KEDO (Korean Peninsula Energy Development Organization) executor director Charles Kartman declared that DPRK's desisting from its bilateral talks attitude is a positive move, adding that "I think since DPRK has made such an expression of its attitude, he will not put off the time for talks for too long, the first round of talks will soon begin. He also noted that the talk would continue for a fairly long period of time, but the longer time it continues, the better results would be for the talk, because this will express the serious attitudes of the various parties to the talks. As regards the so-called very soon, how long it will be after all, Kartman asserted "at most two weeks".

With regard to the scope of multilateral talks, currently there are different versions. According to media reports of the ROK, currently there have appeared a variety of formulas such as "six-party talks" and "10-party talks". "Six-party talks" refer to DPRK, the United States, the ROK, China, Japan and Russia. The "10-party talks" formula was set forth by the United States, its scope covers the five permanent members of the UN Security Councils plus the ROK, DPRK, Japan, Australia and the EU.

Analysts here are of the opinion that although the scope for multilateral talks has not been fixed, one point that merits attention is that the United States will possibly ask for an extremely high price. An article carried in the Chosun Ilbo of the ROK said that after quick victory was won in the Iraq War, the United States had not only enhanced its strength of consultation on the DPRK nuclear issue, but had also increased its influence on its allies in the Northeast Asian region. The United States will possibly continue to stick to its hard-line stand and regard DPRK's first abandonment of nuclear development as the prerequisite for dialogs.

By People's Daily Online

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