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North Korea Standoff: Bill Richardson Meets with Diplomats

Aired January 10, 2003 - 10:10   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.


LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, now let's go back to North Korea and the rising stakes in that nuclear standoff there. Next hour, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson, resumes his talks with two North Korean envoys. Their initial meeting last night accompanied an unnerving, though not unexpected, announcement that Pyongyang was pulling out of a -- of a nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where these meetings are being held.

Ed, good morning, what have you learned about those meetings?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, we haven't learned much about the specifics about what's been going on during the first informal preliminary meeting that occurred last night over what was called -- described as a working dinner. And of course that -- the news of North Korea breaking away from the Nonproliferation Treaty came as all three men, Governor Bill Richardson, here in New Mexico, meeting with the two North Korean diplomats.

Governor Bill Richardson arriving here at the governor's residence. Actually, he just took office about a week ago, so he hasn't fully moved in here yet. But anyway, the meetings will continue here in about an hour.

They spent two hours talking last night. The tone of the meeting was described as cordial but candid. Those talks will continue for several more hours this morning. And exact -- exactly what's going to happen today, a spokesperson for the governor not able to say exactly. We were asking if the meetings will continue into the afternoon? They say at least two or three hours of talks are scheduled for this morning.

Governor Richardson says he's excited about this opportunity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: I think, as the administration has said, they're fully supportive of this effort. And I've been in touch with them. And I want to be able to help my country, but obviously that's all I want to say now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Leon, we're going to break away to a live picture here at the governor's residence. I don't know if you can see through the trees here, but the two North Korean diplomats arriving. Governor Richardson has come out of the residence to greet both gentlemen, and they are now walking inside. I think you can probably get a better picture, clearer picture there of all the people that will be involved in this morning's meeting. We presume that they will begin immediately their discussions.

The North Korean diplomats, we're told, have been staying in a private residence here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. So these talks will continue throughout the morning. And a spokesperson for the governor says that perhaps later on today, depending on how the talks go and whether or not the governor will do so, might make a public comment later on today -- Leon.

HARRIS: Yes, and, Ed, I've got to think that the governor is going to be very careful about saying exactly what he expects to come out of these meetings because they don't want to set too high a standard. But what do we know here about why the North Koreans are talking to him, specifically, and not talking to the -- anyone from the Bush administration? And is there any idea about what they expect to truly have on their -- in their hands or on that table when they do leave these talks?

LAVANDERA: Well this is the fine line that occurs here in these talks. Apparently, I'm told here by a spokesperson for the governor, that these -- that the planning for these talks started several days ago. And we're also told by several other sources that it was initiated by the North Koreans.

Of course Governor Richardson has a history throughout the 1990s of dealing with the North Koreans in several other difficult situations. And perhaps that history lends himself to be an ideal person on the North Korean's belief that he might be the ideal person to speak with, although Governor Richardson making it very clear here to the North Koreans, we're told, that he is not an official representative or official negotiator on behalf of the U.S. government. That he -- what he will do here is just pass along their concerns. He's here in a listening mode and that he will pass along their concerns to Secretary of State Colin Powell -- Leon.

HARRIS: Understood. Ed Lavandera in Santa Fe, New Mexico, thanks -- Ed.

LAVANDERA: You got it.

HARRIS: We'll be checking back with you throughout the day no doubt.

And for all the unfolding details on this North Korean nuclear story, just turn to your computer browser. CNN.com is the address, and it's on the Internet all the time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Diplomats>


Aired January 10, 2003 - 10:10   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
LEON HARRIS, CNN ANCHOR: All right, now let's go back to North Korea and the rising stakes in that nuclear standoff there. Next hour, former U.S. Ambassador to the U.N., Bill Richardson, resumes his talks with two North Korean envoys. Their initial meeting last night accompanied an unnerving, though not unexpected, announcement that Pyongyang was pulling out of a -- of a nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty.
CNN's Ed Lavandera is in Santa Fe, New Mexico, where these meetings are being held.

Ed, good morning, what have you learned about those meetings?

ED LAVANDERA, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Well, Leon, we haven't learned much about the specifics about what's been going on during the first informal preliminary meeting that occurred last night over what was called -- described as a working dinner. And of course that -- the news of North Korea breaking away from the Nonproliferation Treaty came as all three men, Governor Bill Richardson, here in New Mexico, meeting with the two North Korean diplomats.

Governor Bill Richardson arriving here at the governor's residence. Actually, he just took office about a week ago, so he hasn't fully moved in here yet. But anyway, the meetings will continue here in about an hour.

They spent two hours talking last night. The tone of the meeting was described as cordial but candid. Those talks will continue for several more hours this morning. And exact -- exactly what's going to happen today, a spokesperson for the governor not able to say exactly. We were asking if the meetings will continue into the afternoon? They say at least two or three hours of talks are scheduled for this morning.

Governor Richardson says he's excited about this opportunity.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

GOVERNOR BILL RICHARDSON (D), NEW MEXICO: I think, as the administration has said, they're fully supportive of this effort. And I've been in touch with them. And I want to be able to help my country, but obviously that's all I want to say now.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

LAVANDERA: Leon, we're going to break away to a live picture here at the governor's residence. I don't know if you can see through the trees here, but the two North Korean diplomats arriving. Governor Richardson has come out of the residence to greet both gentlemen, and they are now walking inside. I think you can probably get a better picture, clearer picture there of all the people that will be involved in this morning's meeting. We presume that they will begin immediately their discussions.

The North Korean diplomats, we're told, have been staying in a private residence here in Santa Fe, New Mexico. So these talks will continue throughout the morning. And a spokesperson for the governor says that perhaps later on today, depending on how the talks go and whether or not the governor will do so, might make a public comment later on today -- Leon.

HARRIS: Yes, and, Ed, I've got to think that the governor is going to be very careful about saying exactly what he expects to come out of these meetings because they don't want to set too high a standard. But what do we know here about why the North Koreans are talking to him, specifically, and not talking to the -- anyone from the Bush administration? And is there any idea about what they expect to truly have on their -- in their hands or on that table when they do leave these talks?

LAVANDERA: Well this is the fine line that occurs here in these talks. Apparently, I'm told here by a spokesperson for the governor, that these -- that the planning for these talks started several days ago. And we're also told by several other sources that it was initiated by the North Koreans.

Of course Governor Richardson has a history throughout the 1990s of dealing with the North Koreans in several other difficult situations. And perhaps that history lends himself to be an ideal person on the North Korean's belief that he might be the ideal person to speak with, although Governor Richardson making it very clear here to the North Koreans, we're told, that he is not an official representative or official negotiator on behalf of the U.S. government. That he -- what he will do here is just pass along their concerns. He's here in a listening mode and that he will pass along their concerns to Secretary of State Colin Powell -- Leon.

HARRIS: Understood. Ed Lavandera in Santa Fe, New Mexico, thanks -- Ed.

LAVANDERA: You got it.

HARRIS: We'll be checking back with you throughout the day no doubt.

And for all the unfolding details on this North Korean nuclear story, just turn to your computer browser. CNN.com is the address, and it's on the Internet all the time.

TO ORDER A VIDEO OF THIS TRANSCRIPT, PLEASE CALL 800-CNN-NEWS OR USE OUR SECURE ONLINE ORDER FORM LOCATED AT www.fdch.com




Diplomats>