Following Clinton visit, Pyongyang may want direct talks with U.S.
WASHINGTON. August 20. KAZINFORM. The Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) wants to have direct talks with the United States, instead of the six-party talks, said New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson on Wednesday; Kazinform refers to Xinhua.
After meeting with two DPRK diplomats in his mansion in Santa Fe, New Mexico, Richardson told MSNBC that Pyongyang is prepared to have a dialogue with the United States, but that it is still resisting participating in the six-party talks.
The meeting, which was reportedly requested by the DPRK side, came after former U.S. president Bill Clinton paid a successful visit to Pyongyang, where he met with top leader Kim Jong-Il and secured the release of two American journalists.
Clinton has briefed President Barack Obama on his Pyongyang tour.
The DPRK's official news agency KCNA said Kim and Clinton had talks on improving bilateral relations, while the Obama administration insisted that Clinton did not discuss any issues beyond the journalists' release.
Following Clinton's visit, Pyongyang announced the release. Analysts here said Pyongyang wants to use the chance to explore a direct dialogue mechanism with the United States on improving the bilateral relations.
The Obama administration claims that the dialogue should be in the Pyongyang's denuclearization process guided by the six-party talks mechanism, which involved the DPRK, the United States, China, the Republic of Korea, Japan and Russia; Kazinform cites Xinhua. See www.xinhuanet.com for full version.