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US Backs South Korea's Rapprochement With DPRK
The United States on Wednesday expressed support for South Korea's rapprochement with the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) and promised to consult closely with Seoul on the issue.
In a joint statement issued after talks between US Secretary of State Colin Powell and South Korean Foreign Minister Lee Young- binn, the two sides agreed that reconciliation and cooperation between DPRK and South Korea are essential to resolving the long- standing division of the peninsula.
"Secretary of Powell welcomed the very positive recent advances in North-South dialogue... and express his support for the South Korean government's policy for reconciliation and cooperation with the North (DPRK)," the statement said.
It said Powell and Lee also concurred on the importance of close coordination on policy toward DPRK. In this regard, they agreed to continue regular consultations at regular levels.
In addition, the statement said Washington and Seoul would work quickly toward arranging a summit between Presidents George W. Bush and Kim Dae Jung.
The meeting between Powell and Lee marked the first high-level contact between South Korea and the United States under the Bush administration.
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