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Northeast Asia Peace and Security Network DAILY REPORT For Friday, March 20, 1998, from Berkeley, California, USA |
1. Four-Party Peace Talks
Reuters ("KOREA PEACE NEGOTIATORS SET SATURDAY MEETING," Geneva, 03/20/98) reported
that the delegations to the four-party peace talks in Geneva on Friday postponed a scheduled meeting of
top negotiators until Saturday morning. An ROK spokesman said the DPRK had requested the delay,
apparently to give them time to try to make telephone contact with Pyongyang for updated instructions.
Earlier, United Press International ("KOREA TALKS HIT SNAG; FUTURE IN DOUBT," Geneva,
03/20/98) reported that PRC assistant foreign minister Chen Jian told reporters after a 90-minute meeting
of chief negotiators on Friday that the talks had hit a snag. He stated, "We have come across serious
difficulties about whether we should break up this session without any agreement, or whether we should try
to solidify what we have been working on." He added that there are some delegations that need
instructions from their capitals, saying, "We have gone so far that without clear instructions, we cannot
agree." Chen said that negotiators have so far held tentative discussions on setting up a subcommittee. He
stated, "We need flexibility on all sides," adding that the atmosphere in the talks was "serious, calm and
frank."
United Press International ("KOREAN TALKS RUN INTO TROUBLE," Geneva, 03/20/98) and the
Associated Press (Geir Moulson, "KOREA TALKS RUN INTO PROBLEMS," Geneva, 03/20/98)
reported that PRC assistant foreign minister Chen Jian said at the end of a meeting in Geneva on Friday
that the four-way Korean peace talks have run into "serious difficulties." Chen said the problem in the
talks has always been "how to strike the right balance between content and form," adding, "There are
difficulties on both sides, all sides." He said the talks would resume at 3 p.m. Geneva time at the chief
negotiators level "if it is possible to reach some agreement on the committee and what it will talk about."
Yoo Myong-hwan, deputy chief of the ROK delegation, said there was a 50-50 chance of reaching an
agreement on committee terms. However, DPRK Deputy Foreign Minister Kim Gye-gwan asked what
progress can be made "where antagonistic parties are meeting?" An anonymous US State Department
official said that a key sticking point was the DPRK's insistence that the agenda include a discussion about
the withdrawal of US troops stationed in the ROK. The official stated, "No country would agree to an
agenda that prejudged the outcome." He added that all parties with the exception of the DPRK favor
working with practical issues and gradually working up to difficult items.
2. ROK Policy toward DPRK
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("S. KOREA GOVT AFFIRMS FOCUS ON CO-EXISTENCE WITH
N. KOREA," Seoul, 03/20/98) reported that a statement from the ROK Unification Ministry on Friday said
that the new government will be more pragmatic than its predecessors and actively push economic and
other non-political exchanges with the DPRK. The statement read, "First of all, the government will
separate politics and business and revitalize South-North economic cooperation." It added that the
government will focus its DPRK policy on coexistence rather than early unification. The statement said
that the government also will place a top priority on helping reunite separated family members.
3. PRC-Taiwan Relations
The Associated Press ("CHINA: TAIWAN INDEPENDENCE FUTILE," Beijing, 03/19/98) and Reuters
("CHINA MIXES WARNING WITH WELCOME TO TAIWAN BODY," Beijing, 03/19/98) reported that
the PRC's Xinhua news agency on Friday said that Tang Shubei, vice chairman of the Association for
Relations Across Taiwan Straits (ARATS), reiterated an invitation to Koo Chen-fu, head of Taiwan's
official Straits Exchange Foundation (SEF), to visit Beijing. He stated, "The two sides can resume
consultations at any time once the Taiwan side sends us a clear signal indicating that it would like to
conduct procedural talks for the political negotiations." However, Tang added a warning against
Taiwanese independence moves, saying, "It is illegal, futile, and dangerous to decide Taiwan's future
through calling for a referendum."
4. Alleged PRC Naval Purchase
The Associated Press (Mark J. Porubcansky, "AIRCRAFT CARRIER PURCHASE EXAMINED," Hong
Kong, 03/20/98) reported that Taiwanese defense analyst Su Chin-chiang said the purchase of the Varyag,
an unfinished aircraft carrier, from the Ukraine by the little-known Macao company Chong Lot may be a
secret attempt by the PRC to develop its naval forces. The company has said that it plans to turn the ship
into a floating amusement park. Ukraine's Agency for Development and European Integration said
Tuesday that a bid of US$20 million from Chong Lot was the only offer it received for the aircraft carrier.
Agency director Roman Shpek said that a contract would be signed in a month. The contract stipulates that
the buyer can not use the carrier for military purposes, and that any equipment that could be used to build
other warships had been removed from the craft. Chong Lot was incorporated in Macao in August with
capital of US$125,000. The Hong Kong Standard newspaper reported Thursday that Chong Lot's two
shareholders had Hong Kong identity cards. Macao officials said that the government turned down an
application to register the Varyag as a site for hotel, business, and amusement facilities because Chong Lot
was not licensed for any of them. Robert Karniol, Asia-Pacific editor of Jane's Defense Weekly, said that
the PRC is years and vast expenditures away from acquiring the technology and hardware it needs to build
aircraft carriers, and that the PRC military could learn something from the Varyag. Karniol stated, "There
has been speculation at various stages that the Chinese would buy the Varyag to turn it into an operational
carrier. There is nothing really solid in terms of acquiring a vessel. At the same time, we know with
certainty they're interested in doing that."
5. Russian Nuclear Safety
The AP-Dow Jones News Service ("RUSSIA: LEBED SAYS HE FEARS SPREAD OF NUCLEAR
THREAT," Washington, 03/20/98) reported that former Russian security chief Alexander Lebed told
members of the US House of Representatives National Security subcommittee Thursday that many Russian
nuclear scientists are out of work or being paid late and are vulnerable to offers from terrorist groups and
countries. Lebed stated, "These unique experts are seeking their fortune around the world. They will do
what they can do and the world will face the problems of nuclear terrorism or nuclear blackmail." He
suggested that the US and Russia work to employ such scientists in peaceful endeavors. Lebed also
warned that Russian President Boris Yeltsin leader is too unpredictable to be in charge of Russia's nuclear
arsenal. He stated, "Some statements made by the supreme commander in the past few months ... indicate
a certain inadequacy of the supreme commander." He noted that Yeltsin, the defense minister, and the
chief of staff share the responsibility of deciding whether to launch a nuclear attack.
1. Light-Water Reactor Project
The Korea Peninsula Energy Development Organization (KEDO) held a meeting March 19 in New York to
negotiate terms of burden sharing for the second phase of a DPRK light-water reactor project.
Representatives from each of the executive member nations are seeking to strike the right ratio of burden
sharing that would reflect a "pivotal," "meaningful" and "symbolic" role for the ROK, Japan, and the US,
respectively. KEDO had estimated the total cost of the LWR project at US$5.1785 billion last year.
(Yonhap News, "KEDO MEETS TO NEGOTIATE COSTS FOR LWR PROJECT," New York, 03/19/98)
2. DPRK Energy
The DPRK is building as many as 130 small and medium sized hydro-electric power plants on major rivers
of South Hamkyung province, with a view to resolve power shortages in the DPRK's largest industrial city,
Hamhung, and its surroundings. The Korea Central News Agency on March 17 revealed this information,
in addition to reports in regards to the participation of local government workers and civilians in the
construction of the dams. (Kyunghyang Shinmum, "DPRK TO BUILD 130 SMALL AND MEDIUM
SIZED POWER PLANTS IN HAMNAM," 03/20/98)
3. Alleged DPRK Civil Unrest
DPRK workers are sabotaging production despite the risk of punishment as the economic crisis worsens
and faith in socialist values erodes, a PRC-based diplomatic source said March 18. "Seventy-four cases of
sabotage were confirmed between 1996 and last year. The acts included absenteeism, deliberate
production of defective goods, destroying facilities, or stealing," the source said. "Now that the workers
are waging sabotage at the risk of getting punished, there is a high possibility for it to grow into a massive
and organized collective action if the economic crisis and worsening working conditions remain
unchanged," the source said. (Korea Times, "DPRK WORKERS SABOTAGE PRODUCTION, SOURCE
SAYS," 03/20/98)
4. PRC Reform
The PRC's new Premier, Zhu Rongji, pledged March 19 to blaze ahead with radical reforms but rejected
calls for a reassessment of the Tiananmen Square massacre. Zhu said serious streamlining of the PRC's
oversized bureaucracy was underway and expressed confidence that deep-cutting reforms in the ailing state
enterprise and banking sector would be completed by the turn of the century. In addition, Zhu said he was
in favor of democratic elections for the PRC's top leadership in the future and praised nascent reforms in
the countryside which allow villagers to chose their own leaders. (Korea Times, "PRC'S NEW PREMIER
VOWS TO GO AHEAD WITH REFORMS," 03/20/98)
1. Four-Party Peace Talks
The Nikkei Shimbun ("DPRK AGREES TO NORTH-SOUTH DIALOGUE," Seoul, 03/19/98) reported
that ROK Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade Park Chung-su said at a ministerial meeting on March 18
that the DPRK told the ROK at the four-party peace talks that it is ready to resume DPRK-ROK dialogue in
the near future. The report pointed out that the resumption of dialogue will not only ease inter-Korean
tension but have a positive impact on the four-party peace talks as well.
2. Japan-ROK Relations
The Yomiuri Shimbun ("ROK FOREIGN MINISTER IS VERY WILLING TO IMPROVE JAPAN-ROK
RELATIONS," Seoul, 03/19/98) reported that ROK Foreign Minister Park Chung-su told Japanese
reporters on March 18 that he and Japanese Foreign Minister Keizo Obuchi will discuss possible
resolutions to the deadlocked fishery talks between Japan and the ROK. Park also said that Japan should
actively show its sincerity to take measures on the comfort women issue. With regard to the fishery talks,
he said, "Efforts to resolve the issue should arise from the private level."
3. Japan-DPRK Relations
The Yomiuri Shimbun ("LIBERAL DEMOCRATIC PARTY (LDP) WILL SEND DELEGATION TO
DPRK ON MARCH 24," 03/19/98) reported that LDP Chairman of the Executive Council Yoshiro Mori
told the Chochongryun (General Association of Korean Residents in Japan) on March 18 that the LDP will
send a delegation to the DPRK and that Chochongryun responded positively. The delegation aims to
conduct a survey on the DPRK's agricultural situation, and the delegation is likely to be led by a former
minister of posts and telecommunications with five LDP members, according to the report.
4. Japanese Waste Exports to DPRK
The Asahi Shimbun ("JAPAN'S INDUSTRIAL WASTES TO DPRK INCREASES DUE TO PRC'S
TIGHTENING OF REGULATION ON WASTES IMPORT," 03/17/98) reported that the volume of
Japanese industrial wastes shipped to the DPRK has significantly increased for the past two years because
of the PRC's tightening of its control on industrial wastes imports. The report cited, for example, Finance
Ministry statistics indicating that Japanese exports of used tires to the DPRK in 1995 totaled about 78,000
but increased to 724,000 in 1997, and Japanese exports of aluminum to the DPRK was about 8,600 tons in
1995 but increased to 16,000 tons in 1997. Meanwhile, Japanese exports of used tires to the PRC was
about 328,000 in 1995 but decreased to 69,000 in 1997, and Japanese exports of aluminum to the PRC was
about 7,100 tons in 1995 but decreased to 1,000 tons in 1997.
5. Japanese Defense Policy
The Sankei Shimbun ("GUIDELINES WILL INCLUDE INSPECTION OF SHIPS IN LOGISTICS
SUPPORT," 03/18/98) reported that the LDP joint meeting among four working groups for the Guidelines
for Japan-US Defense Cooperation decided on March 17 to include inspection of ships in Japan's logistical
support for US forces. The issue of Japan's logistical support for US forces itself will be covered under a
separate bill, which the LDP hopes to submit to the Diet in late April, according to the report. The report
added that although inspection of ships based on a UN resolution was itself going to be a separate law,
those who support the idea gained a majority among the LDP and therefore it will be put into the logistical
support bill. With regard to use of weapons, it will be approved in the cases of search and rescue, rescue of
Japanese civilians, and inspection of ships. Also, with regard to mutual agreement on services and
acquisitions, which has been limited to peace time, the LDP is considering revising the agreement or
concluding another agreement between Japan and the US.
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