Negotiations on the North Korean nuclear standoff picked up pace yesterday with South Korea's defense chief heading to Japan and Tokyo's top envoy on the dispute heading to Seoul to discuss a fresh round of six-nation talks on the issue.
South Korean Defense Minister Cho Young-kil was scheduled to meet his Japanese counterpart Shigeru Ishiba and exchange views on the standoff over North Korea's suspected nuclear weapons programs.
Meanwhile, Japan's chief negotiator on the nuclear issue, Mitoji Yabunaka, was to arrive in Seoul later yesterday to try to arrange another round of six-nation talks on resolving the issue. He was to meet his South Korean counterpart, South Assistant Foreign Minister Lee Soo-hyuck.
In a morning briefing, the South Korean foreign minister suggested that North Korea's key demand for a guarantee of its security was still under discussion and that delegates were still haggling over dates for the next six-nation round.
Both Japan and South Korea are interested in easing tensions on the divided Korean peninsula. An international standoff with North Korea has worsened since US officials said a year ago that North Korea admitted running a secret nuclear program in violation of international agreements.
Efforts are under way to arrange a fresh round of nuclear talks involving the two Koreas, Russia, the US, China and Japan. Delegates have said they are shooting for another round next month, but the dates have yet to be decided. A first round of talks held in Beijing in August ended without much progress.
South Korea's Foreign Minister Yoon Young-kwan said yesterday that delegations are still discussing dates. He also said that North Korea's demands for a security guarantee were being examined.
Last week, US Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly met South Korean officials and discussed security assurances for North Korea, one of its top conditions for ending its nuclear programs.
But Yoon suggested Wednesday that the US and North Korea's neighbors were unlikely to offer security assurances for North Korea's communist government.
Asked whether such guarantees could cover North Korea's government in addition to the country's territorial integrity, Yoon said, "I don't believe there was a case where a country guaranteed the security of another country's government."
North Korea has said it will consider US President George W. Bush's offer of written security assurances in return for dismantling its nuclear weapons program.
In Japan, the two defense chiefs were also expected to discuss the US request for more troops to Iraq, South Korea's Defense Ministry said.
FRAUD ALLEGED: The leader of an opposition alliance made allegations of electoral irregularities and called for a protest in Tirana as European leaders are to meet Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s Socialist Party scored a large victory in parliamentary elections, securing him his fourth term, official results showed late on Tuesday. The Socialist Party won 52.1 percent of the vote on Sunday compared with 34.2 percent for an alliance of opposition parties led by his main rival Sali Berisha, according to results released by the Albanian Central Election Commission. Diaspora votes have yet to be counted, but according to initial results, Rama was also leading there. According to projections, the Socialist Party could have more lawmakers than in 2021 elections. At the time, it won 74 seats in the
A Croatian town has come up with a novel solution to solve the issue of working parents when there are no public childcare spaces available: pay grandparents to do it. Samobor, near the capital, Zagreb, has become the first in the country to run a “Grandmother-Grandfather Service,” which pays 360 euros (US$400) a month per child. The scheme allows grandparents to top up their pension, but the authorities also hope it will boost family ties and tackle social isolation as the population ages. “The benefits are multiple,” Samobor Mayor Petra Skrobot told reporters. “Pensions are rather low and for parents it is sometimes
CONTROVERSY: During the performance of Israel’s entrant Yuval Raphael’s song ‘New Day Will Rise,’ loud whistles were heard and two people tried to get on stage Austria’s JJ yesterday won the Eurovision Song Contest, with his operatic song Wasted Love triumphing at the world’s biggest live music television event. After votes from national juries around Europe and viewers from across the continent and beyond, JJ gave Austria its first victory since bearded drag performer Conchita Wurst’s 2014 triumph. After the nail-biting drama as the votes were revealed running into yesterday morning, Austria finished with 436 points, ahead of Israel — whose participation drew protests — on 357 and Estonia on 356. “Thank you to you, Europe, for making my dreams come true,” 24-year-old countertenor JJ, whose
CANCER: Jose Mujica earned the moniker ‘world’s poorest president’ for giving away much of his salary and living a simple life on his farm, with his wife and dog Tributes poured in on Tuesday from across Latin America following the death of former Uruguayan president Jose “Pepe” Mujica, an ex-guerrilla fighter revered by the left for his humility and progressive politics. He was 89. Mujica, who spent a dozen years behind bars for revolutionary activity, lost his battle against cancer after announcing in January that the disease had spread and he would stop treatment. “With deep sorrow, we announce the passing of our comrade Pepe Mujica. President, activist, guide and leader. We will miss you greatly, old friend,” Uruguayan President Yamandu Orsi wrote on X. “Pepe, eternal,” a cyclist shouted out minutes later,
RSS