United Nations, August 06: Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon expressed hope Wednesday that North Korea’s release of two American journalists will lead to a resumption of talks on eliminating its nuclear weapons program.
Ban told reporters he welcomed the release of Laura Ling and Euna Lee, who were detained at the Chinese-North Korean border in March and sentenced in June to 12 years of hard labor for illegal entry into the North and engaging in “hostile acts.”
The secretary-general told reporters last week that he had been trying to win their freedom but he refused to disclose details — and he refused again on Wednesday.
“As secretary-general I have raised this issue both privately and publicly, as I did on other similar humanitarian cases through diplomatic channels and appropriate occasions,” Ban said.
“I appealed to DPRK leadership to show flexibility in handling the matter from a humanitarian standpoint,” he said, using the initials of the country’s official name, the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea. “This is what I can tell you at this time. I told you I took necessary initiative which I’m not in a position to disclose at this time.”
Ban also commended former U.S. President Bill Clinton “for his successful humanitarian mission” to bring home the reporters, who work for former U.S. Vice President Al Gore’s California-based Current TV media group.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, said last week he believes that the stalled six-party talks are “a good way” to address the nuclear standoff with North Korea bit would support a one-on-one dialogue between DPRK authorities and the United States “if necessary.”
North Korea has said it won’t return to the six-nation talks and has suggested a new direct dialogue with President Barack Obama’s administration. The United States has said it is willing to hold direct talks with Pyongyang — but only on the sidelines of the six-party nuclear disarmament talks that include the U.S., North Korea, South Korea, China, Japan and Russia.
The United States believes that negotiating directly with North Korea outside the six-party framework would marginalize its two closest Asian allies, Japan and South Korea, and reward the North for belligerent behavior. China, a close North Korea ally which has hosted the six-party talks, would also be marginalized.
“I have been making the consistent position that all the pending issues should be resolved through dialogue in a peaceful manner,” Ban told reporters Wednesday.
“I welcome the release of two American journalists by the DPRK,” he said. “I hope that this kind of encouraging move will lead to resumption of dialogue with the DPRK with all the parties concerned to resolve all the issues including nuclear issues.”
–Agencies