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CNN Live At Daybreak

Nuclear Talks Going On This Hour in Beijing

Aired April 23, 2003 - 05:39   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.


CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now on to the nuclear talks going on at this hour in Beijing. The U.S. and China are hoping to convince North Korea to give up its alleged nuclear weapons program.
Our Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz joins us by phone with details -- good morning, Jaime.

JAMIE FLORCRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the American and North Korean diplomats met behind closed doors with the Chinese hosts to discuss the stand-off over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The meeting is expected to be difficult and contentious because the two sides are divided quite widely. Washington insists that North Korea stop its nuclear weapons program period, while North Korea insists that they may want to do that, but they want in exchange an assurance from Washington that, first, they will not be attacked, and, second, perhaps they could help with their economic and financial difficulties.

So it's a very, very difficult process and it's still a very exploratory meeting. The Chinese are hosting this because they agree with the Americans that North Korea should not possess nuclear weapons. But they also agree with the North Koreans that regional issues like this should be resolved through political and diplomatic means -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jaime FlorCruz reporting live from Beijing this morning.

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 April 23, 2003 - 05:39   ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: Now on to the nuclear talks going on at this hour in Beijing. The U.S. and China are hoping to convince North Korea to give up its alleged nuclear weapons program.
Our Beijing bureau chief Jaime FlorCruz joins us by phone with details -- good morning, Jaime.

JAMIE FLORCRUZ, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Good morning, Carol.

Well, the American and North Korean diplomats met behind closed doors with the Chinese hosts to discuss the stand-off over North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The meeting is expected to be difficult and contentious because the two sides are divided quite widely. Washington insists that North Korea stop its nuclear weapons program period, while North Korea insists that they may want to do that, but they want in exchange an assurance from Washington that, first, they will not be attacked, and, second, perhaps they could help with their economic and financial difficulties.

So it's a very, very difficult process and it's still a very exploratory meeting. The Chinese are hosting this because they agree with the Americans that North Korea should not possess nuclear weapons. But they also agree with the North Koreans that regional issues like this should be resolved through political and diplomatic means -- Carol.

COSTELLO: Jaime FlorCruz reporting live from Beijing this morning.

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