2006年VOA标准英语-US Envoy: N. Korea Must Return to Six Party Tal

（单词翻译）

By Kurt Achin
Seoul
26 May 2006

The chief American envoy¹ to North Korea nuclear talks says Pyongyang needs to decide to return to the bargaining table, as there will be no new enticements.
 

Christopher Hill speaks during a briefing following talks with Chinese Vice² Foreign Minister Wu Dawei in Beijing, May 25, 2006  
  
U.S. Assistant Secretary of State Christopher Hill told reporters in Seoul his talks with Chinese leaders Thursday produced "no breakthroughs" in getting North Korea back to the bargaining table to discuss eliminating its nuclear weapons capabilities³.

The three-year-old negotiations⁴ have been stalled since the United States, China, Russia, Japan, South Korea and North Korea met in September.

That round of talks produced an agreement in principle for North Korea to dismantle⁵ its nuclear programs in exchange for financial and energy assistance, as well as political and diplomatic benefits.

Hill says the agreement stands as is.

"So it's not up to us [United States] to create some new incentive⁶ structures for them [North Korea] to come and implement⁷ the September agreement," said Hill. "The incentive structures are already in the September agreement."

Just one day after reaching that agreement, North Korea announced a new condition: the United States must provide it with a modern nuclear reactor⁸ for civilian⁹ energy production. That was immediately ruled and was seen by Washington and its partners as another attempt by Pyongyang to stall.

Currently, North Korea - known formally as the DPRK - is refusing to return to the six-nation talks on implementing¹⁰ the September agreement until the U.S. lifts sanctions on North Korean companies suspected of money laundering¹¹ and counterfeiting¹².

Hill says the North's focus on the sanctions, which mainly target about $24 million in North Korea assets, is a distraction¹³ from the main issue.

"I'm not sure this is about $24 million. I'm not sure this is about the U.S. economic measures," continued Hill. "I think this about a country - the DPRK - that can't make up its mind."

U.S. officials say the sanctions are a matter of law enforcement and are completely separate from the nuclear diplomacy¹⁴.

Before departing Seoul Friday, Hill repeated Washington's willingness to strive for a permanent peace with North Korea, in the context of the September agreement.

"One of the elements there is that the parties would agree to work on a peace mechanism¹⁵ in an appropriate forum¹⁶ with the appropriate players," he said. "So, of course we'd be willing to implement that element as well."

There is no peace treaty ending the 1950s Korean War. Fighting was halted by an armistice¹⁷, signed in 1953, and meant to be temporary.