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U.S. 'Ready To Talk' With North Korea

Aired January 13, 2003 - 07:03   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.


PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There is word this morning the U.S. might be willing to strike a deal with North Korea if Pyongyang is prepared to abandon its nuclear development plans. That comes from the assistant secretary of state, James Kelly. He is in Seoul, talking with the South Koreans about the standoff with the north.
Let's check in with John King, who is standing by at the White House this morning.

Does this signal a shift in U.S. policy -- John?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not a shift in policy, Paula, so much as it is a softer public tone, a more diplomatic tone from Assistant Secretary of James Kelly. The White House has been saying all along, no negotiations; that before there can be any other negotiations about energy assistance, economic assistance, North Korea must first come to the table and give up its nuclear weapons program and do that in a verifiable way. That is Assistant Secretary of State Kelly's message.

He is, as you see him here, meeting with South Korean officials, trying to get on the same page with a key U.S. ally about how to deal with North Korea. Ambassador Kelly saying today in Seoul that there can be no negotiations, that North Korea must admit, must acknowledge its nuclear weapons program and set it aside, do that in a verifiable way. But then, he says, the United States could have conversations about energy assistance and perhaps other things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES KELLY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Once we can get beyond nuclear weapons, there may be opportunities with the U.S., with private investors, with other countries to help North Korea in the energy area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: That's consistent with what we are hearing privately from White House officials. They say it would be giving into blackmail if the president came to the table at the very same time as North Korea made a commitment to give up its program of nuclear weapons, if the president immediately simultaneously gave North Korea assistance. But U.S. officials say they are willing to help if North Korea first gives up that program.

Now, will there be a direct dialogue between North Korea and the United States? That remains an open question. After weekend discussions with a former Clinton administration diplomat, now the New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, North Korea has informed Governor Richardson, and through him the State Department, that it would like to talk to U.S. officials at the United Nations in New York perhaps as early as the week ahead. U.S. officials say that is possible, but there is nothing scheduled. They're waiting to hear more from the North Korean government -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, so, John, what do they mean, "Is that possible?" Does that mean it's likely or unlikely?

KING: They want to make sure that if there are conversations with North Korea, that North Korea enters those discussions, knowing that the only thing on the table in the first round of conversations can be the nuclear weapons program. The Bush administration says it will not budge at that point, but as you heard Ambassador Kelly say, they are beginning to be more explicit about if North Korea gives up the program, then presumably soon after, as long as the administration believes it is a verifiable deal, you could have conservations about other things.

Is it possible? Will it happen? We went through this last week. There was some talk there could be a meeting. This is a very delicate situation. We simply don't know right now.

ZAHN: John King, thanks so much -- appreciate it.

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






Aired January 13, 2003 - 07:03   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
PAULA ZAHN, CNN ANCHOR: There is word this morning the U.S. might be willing to strike a deal with North Korea if Pyongyang is prepared to abandon its nuclear development plans. That comes from the assistant secretary of state, James Kelly. He is in Seoul, talking with the South Koreans about the standoff with the north.
Let's check in with John King, who is standing by at the White House this morning.

Does this signal a shift in U.S. policy -- John?

JOHN KING, CNN SENIOR WHITE HOUSE CORRESPONDENT: Not a shift in policy, Paula, so much as it is a softer public tone, a more diplomatic tone from Assistant Secretary of James Kelly. The White House has been saying all along, no negotiations; that before there can be any other negotiations about energy assistance, economic assistance, North Korea must first come to the table and give up its nuclear weapons program and do that in a verifiable way. That is Assistant Secretary of State Kelly's message.

He is, as you see him here, meeting with South Korean officials, trying to get on the same page with a key U.S. ally about how to deal with North Korea. Ambassador Kelly saying today in Seoul that there can be no negotiations, that North Korea must admit, must acknowledge its nuclear weapons program and set it aside, do that in a verifiable way. But then, he says, the United States could have conversations about energy assistance and perhaps other things.

(BEGIN VIDEO CLIP)

JAMES KELLY, ASSISTANT SECRETARY OF STATE: Once we can get beyond nuclear weapons, there may be opportunities with the U.S., with private investors, with other countries to help North Korea in the energy area.

(END VIDEO CLIP)

KING: That's consistent with what we are hearing privately from White House officials. They say it would be giving into blackmail if the president came to the table at the very same time as North Korea made a commitment to give up its program of nuclear weapons, if the president immediately simultaneously gave North Korea assistance. But U.S. officials say they are willing to help if North Korea first gives up that program.

Now, will there be a direct dialogue between North Korea and the United States? That remains an open question. After weekend discussions with a former Clinton administration diplomat, now the New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, North Korea has informed Governor Richardson, and through him the State Department, that it would like to talk to U.S. officials at the United Nations in New York perhaps as early as the week ahead. U.S. officials say that is possible, but there is nothing scheduled. They're waiting to hear more from the North Korean government -- Paula.

ZAHN: All right, so, John, what do they mean, "Is that possible?" Does that mean it's likely or unlikely?

KING: They want to make sure that if there are conversations with North Korea, that North Korea enters those discussions, knowing that the only thing on the table in the first round of conversations can be the nuclear weapons program. The Bush administration says it will not budge at that point, but as you heard Ambassador Kelly say, they are beginning to be more explicit about if North Korea gives up the program, then presumably soon after, as long as the administration believes it is a verifiable deal, you could have conservations about other things.

Is it possible? Will it happen? We went through this last week. There was some talk there could be a meeting. This is a very delicate situation. We simply don't know right now.

ZAHN: John King, thanks so much -- appreciate it.

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