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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Thursday, March 12, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. Four Party Peace Talks
United Press International ("U.S. GEARS UP FOR KOREA TALKS," Washington, 03/11/98) reported
that an anonymous senior US official said Wednesday that the Clinton administration will lift some
economic sanctions against the DPRK if upcoming four-party peace talks yield tangible improvements in
DPRK-ROK relations. The official stated, "What we've told the North Koreans is that when there is
tangible progress, sanctions will be lifted." He said that such developments as establishing a military hot
line between the ROK and the DPRK, or a cessation of "slanderous" DPRK rhetoric against the ROK,
would represent the type of progress sought by the Clinton administration.
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("U.S., NORTH KOREA TO HOLD BILATERAL TALKS IN
BERLIN," Berlin, 03/12/98) reported that a U.S. State Department official said Thursday that Charles
Kartman, US deputy assistant secretary of state for East Asian and Pacific affairs, will meet Friday in
Berlin with Kim Gye-gwan, DPRK deputy foreign minister, ahead of the four-party peace talks scheduled
to begin Monday in Geneva. The official said that the two are likely to discuss removal of US economic
sanctions against the DPRK, as well as try to set a date for future talks.
2. ROK National Security Agency
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("S. KOREA AGENCY OFFICIALS ARRESTED OVER ALLEGED
SMEAR PLOT," Seoul, 03/12/98) reported that ROK prosecutors on Thursday arrested three high-
ranking officials of the Agency for National Security Planning, including Director General Lee Dae-sung,
on charges of plotting to smear President Kim Dae-jung during his election campaign last year.
Prosecutors said the three officials paid US$19,000 to Korean-American businessman Yoon Hong-joon to
hold news conferences in Beijing, Tokyo, and Seoul in December in which he alleged that Kim's
campaign was funded by DPRK leader Kim Jong-il. Yoon was arrested on a libel charge in February.
3. PRC-Taiwan Relations
The Los Angeles Times ("CHINA: TAIWAN PROFITING FROM CRISIS," Beijing, 03/12/98) reported
that PRC foreign minister Qian Qichen on Thursday accused Taiwan of backing away from the policy of
"one China" and of using the Asian financial crisis to its own advantage. Qian added that the PRC wants
to start political talks and officially end hostilities as the first step toward reunification. Qian emphasized
that the "one China" principle means "there is one China in the world and Taiwan is part of China,"
adding that Taiwanese officials "used to support this principle and now they seem to have backed down."
Qian also criticized Taiwanese officials for traveling to Asian countries that are suffering from financial
crises or receiving representatives from those countries. In response, Taiwan government spokesman
Chen Chien-jen called Qian's remarks an attempt to turn Asian countries away from increased contacts
with Taiwan. He stated, "Our leaders' visits are purely motivated by good faith. I wish the Chinese
communist authorities would refrain from viewing every single action on our part with prejudice."
4. Clinton to Visit PRC
The Washington Post (John F. Harris, "PRESIDENT TO VISIT CHINA IN JUNE," 03/12/98, A08) the
Associated Press (Robert Burns, "CLINTON MAY GO TO CHINA IN JUNE," Washington, 03/12/98)
and the New York Times (James Bennet with Seth Faison, "CLINTON MOVES UP HIS TRIP TO
CHINA TO LATE IN JUNE," Washington, 03/12/98) reported that senior US administration officials said
Wednesday that US President Bill Clinton has decided to move up his presidential trip to the PRC to late
June instead of November. One senior administration official said Wednesday, "It is pretty much a done
deal." Another official said that the US was eager to build on progress made during the visit by PRC
President Jiang Zemin last October. He added, "There's tremendous positive feeling over there about the
relationship." However, another senior official said that the president's advisers were concerned that
relations with PRC had deteriorated recently, adding "It feels like some of that momentum has stalled."
Meanwhile, a senior US diplomat in Beijing said that PRC officials were so eager for Clinton's visit that
they indicated a willingness to alter plans for visits by leaders from other countries to accommodate him.
Yang Jiechi, PRC assistant foreign minister, stated, "There is a strong desire on both sides for friendly
cooperation, not for confrontation. Both sides see a common good in a better relationship."
5. Russian Ratification of START II
The New York Times (Steven Erlanger, "RUSSIA VOWS TO PUSH ARMS PACT, TO PAVE WAY
FOR SUMMIT," Washington, 03/12/98) reported that Russian Prime Minister Victor Chernomyrdin said
Wednesday that his government would push the Duma to ratify the second strategic arms reduction treaty
(START II), to prepare the way for US President Clinton to visit Moscow for a summit meeting by the
middle of the year. Senior US administration officials said that the Clinton administration has made a
summit meeting with President Boris Yeltsin conditional on Russian ratification of Start II.
Chernomyrdin appeared with Vice President Al Gore at a joint news conference Wednesday concluding
the Washington meetings of the Gore-Chernomyrdin Commission. Gore also announced the
establishment of a new joint commission of experts to discuss and monitor the export of sensitive nuclear
and missile technologies.
6. Nuclear Waste Shipment to Japan
The Associated Press ("JAPAN VILLAGE NIXES NUCLEAR DUMPING," Tokyo, 03/12/98) reported
that Governor Morio Kimura said Thursday that a ship carrying 30 tons of nuclear waste will be permitted
to dock to prevent its crew from being stranded in rough seas, but will not be allowed to unload its cargo.
1. Light-water Reactor Project
Combustion Engineering Co. (CEC) of the US withdrew their application to supply parts for the DPRK
light-water reactor project on March 10. The CEC had submitted their application to the Nuclear
Regulatory Commission (NRC) with a view to obtain a permit to export nuclear reactor-related parts and
equipment to the DPRK. However, William Kelly, spokesman of Asea Brown Boveri Ltd. (ABB), which
is CEC's mother company, said that the decision to annul the application was made to avoid a public
hearing. US media and related institutions, including the NRC, have been urging for a public hearing on
issues regarding US exportation of nuclear energy-related facilities to an adversary. (Joongang Ilbo, "US
COMPANY WITHDRAWS FROM KEDO PROJECT," 03/11/98)
2. US-DPRK Relations
High-officials of the US and the DPRK will convene in Berlin March 13 to discuss bilateral issues.
Represented by Charles Kartman, assistant deputy secretary of state for East Asia-Pacific, and Kim Kae-
kwan, deputy foreign minister of the DPRK, the two parties will discuss issues such as lifting of US
economic embargo, establishment of liaison offices, resumption of missile-talks and return of US MIAs.
(Joongang Ilbo, "US-DPRK OFFICIALS TO MEET IN BERLIN," 03/11/98)
3. ROK-DPRK Red Cross Talks
The DPRK on March 11 turned down the ROK's offer to hold inter-Korean Red Cross talks at a venue in
Korea. However, the DPRK suggested meeting in Beijing on March 25. Li Song-ho, chief of the DPRK
Red Cross, said in a telephone message to his ROK counterpart, "In response to your March 10 letter: we
will receive the fertilizer you have sent at Nampo; as for the fifth working-level talks on the third round of
aid, we propose that they be held March 25 in Beijing, where they have been held previously." (Korea
Herald, "DPRK REFUSES TO HOLD TALKS IN KOREA," 03/12/98)
1. UN Command
Ed. note: An article in the Korea Times on February 25 stated that Thailand and the Philippines are the
only countries beside the US from the UN-coalition which fought in the Korean War to maintain
contingents in the ROK. [See UN Command Disengagement in the ROK section of the February 25
Daily Report.] While this report is accurate, it should be noted that seven nations currently maintain UN
Command rear liaison offices in Japan: Australia, Canada, France, New Zealand, Philippines, Thailand,
and the United Kingdom.
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Yonsei University, Seoul, Republic of Korea
The Center for Global Communications, Tokyo,
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Fudan University, Shanghai,
People's Republic of China
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Seoul, Republic of Korea
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