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CNN Live At Daybreak
Talks Begin on Dismantling North Korea's Nuclear Weapons Program
Aired August 27, 2003 - 05:08 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: To another nation in the nuclear spotlight, there are high stakes and low expectations, as talks begin on dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The U.S., the Koreas and three other countries meeting now in Beijing.
Our Mike Chinoy joins us live by video phone from the Chinese capital -- hello, Mike.
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Well, no breakthrough after this first day of talks, but no break down either. And that itself is something of an achievement. Representatives from six nations, including the U.S. and North Korea, sat down at China's Diaoyutai State Guest House. Each of the delegation leaders presenting the formal position of their government.
All of the governments represented here, except for North Korea, are on the same wavelength in urging the regime in Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program. But the Russians, the Japanese, the Chinese also urging the United States to pay some attention to North Korea's security concerns, and insisting that the only way to solve this problem is through negotiations and dialogue, and not through confrontation.
One of the big questions that we're looking to find answers to in the next couple of days is just what North Korea's intentions are. The North Koreans have said that they might be willing to give up their nuclear weapons program if the United States agreed to sign a peace treaty. But it's not clear whether they're really willing to bargain away their nuclear capability or whether or not they have decided, especially in the wake of the war in Iraq, that they've got to keep a bomber or two for their own security.
The talks will continue through Friday. It's expected that North Korean and American officials will have informal contacts on the sidelines of these negotiations and the general expectation is that if there's an agreement for further talks, that this meeting this week will be considered a success -- Carol.
COSTELLO: But, Mike, the North Koreans wouldn't settle for just signing of a peace treaty, would it?
CHINOY: The North Koreans have said that they want a formal non- aggression treaty with the United States before they're willing to make any concessions on the nuclear front. The United States, for its part, is insisting that North Korea agree up front to abandon its entire nuclear weapons program before there can be any discussion of security assurances or economic aid.
So how to bridge that gap is really at the center of these talks. No one expects that gap to be bridged in these few days. But if the talks can create a diplomatic process over a period of months, then that might offer some way forward. If these talks break down without those kinds of negotiations planned for the coming months, then there's a danger that tensions could escalate -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy live from Beijing, China 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
Program>
Aired August 27, 2003 - 05:08 ET
THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.
CAROL COSTELLO, CNN ANCHOR: To another nation in the nuclear spotlight, there are high stakes and low expectations, as talks begin on dismantling North Korea's nuclear weapons program. The U.S., the Koreas and three other countries meeting now in Beijing.
Our Mike Chinoy joins us live by video phone from the Chinese capital -- hello, Mike.
MIKE CHINOY, CNN CORRESPONDENT: Hi, Carol.
Well, no breakthrough after this first day of talks, but no break down either. And that itself is something of an achievement. Representatives from six nations, including the U.S. and North Korea, sat down at China's Diaoyutai State Guest House. Each of the delegation leaders presenting the formal position of their government.
All of the governments represented here, except for North Korea, are on the same wavelength in urging the regime in Pyongyang to give up its nuclear program. But the Russians, the Japanese, the Chinese also urging the United States to pay some attention to North Korea's security concerns, and insisting that the only way to solve this problem is through negotiations and dialogue, and not through confrontation.
One of the big questions that we're looking to find answers to in the next couple of days is just what North Korea's intentions are. The North Koreans have said that they might be willing to give up their nuclear weapons program if the United States agreed to sign a peace treaty. But it's not clear whether they're really willing to bargain away their nuclear capability or whether or not they have decided, especially in the wake of the war in Iraq, that they've got to keep a bomber or two for their own security.
The talks will continue through Friday. It's expected that North Korean and American officials will have informal contacts on the sidelines of these negotiations and the general expectation is that if there's an agreement for further talks, that this meeting this week will be considered a success -- Carol.
COSTELLO: But, Mike, the North Koreans wouldn't settle for just signing of a peace treaty, would it?
CHINOY: The North Koreans have said that they want a formal non- aggression treaty with the United States before they're willing to make any concessions on the nuclear front. The United States, for its part, is insisting that North Korea agree up front to abandon its entire nuclear weapons program before there can be any discussion of security assurances or economic aid.
So how to bridge that gap is really at the center of these talks. No one expects that gap to be bridged in these few days. But if the talks can create a diplomatic process over a period of months, then that might offer some way forward. If these talks break down without those kinds of negotiations planned for the coming months, then there's a danger that tensions could escalate -- Carol.
COSTELLO: Mike Chinoy live from Beijing, China 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
Program>
