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Kim Jong-il, Albright Set Up Meeting
DPRK leader Kim Jong-il will see U.S. Secretary of State Madeleine Albright in Pyongyang on Monday for his first meeting ever with a U.S. official. A State Department official said Kim would meet Albright at a DPRK government guesthouse at 3 p.m. (0600 GMT), a few hours after she opened a historic visit that underscores the promise of change on one of the world"s last Cold War frontiers. The meeting will be another step in DPRK's efforts to enter the world stage. Within the past year, Kim has also met the presidents of China, Russia and South Korea. While no agreements are expected to be signed during her two-day visit, Albright will recommend for or against a visit by U.S. President Bill Clinton, who could then seal some deals, a senior U.S. official said. The subject of a Clinton visit also came up during a courtesy call which Albright paid on Vice Marshal Jo Myong-rok, vice chairman of the National Defence Commission led by Kim Jong-il and the highest ranking DPRK ever to go to Washington. "Vice Marshal Jo stressed the importance of a successful visit, a U.S. official said. "She (Albright) stressed the importance of the work they they have to do here." Jo agreed that one task was to prepare for a possible visit by Clinton, he added. Albright was met by North Korean vice foreign minister Kim Gae-gwan in a low-key ceremony at Pyongyang airport on a grey cloudy morning.
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