U.S to seek other options if North Korea talks fail
(Agencies)
Updated: 2005-03-16 10:06

Stalled six-country negotiations on North Korea's nuclear weapons program must be accelerated or other ways for dealing with it must be considered, the U.S. pointman on the issue said on Tuesday.

While the China-hosted talks are the preferred format for resolving the nuclear issue, "we need to see some progress here. If we don't, we need to look at other ways to deal with this," said Christopher Hill, U.S. ambassador to South Korea.

Christopher Hill, the U.S. ambassador to Seoul and Washington's top negotiator in the six-party nuclear talks, speaks during the Asian Leadership Conference at Convention and Exhibition center in Seoul, South Korea, Thursday, March 3, 2005.[AP/file]

Speaking at his U.S. Senate nomination hearing to be assistant secretary of state for Asian and Pacific affairs, Hill talked about urging Russia and "any country doing any business" with North Korea to reconsider activities that encourage Pyongyang's "bad behavior."

If confirmed by the Senate, "I would like to look very carefully to see what more Russia could do," Hill told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

"I think with respect to Russia -- with respect to any country doing any business with North Korea -- ... we need to look very carefully at what they are doing ... with a view to determining, are they somehow encouraging bad behavior from the North Koreans or are they encouraging North Korea to come back to the table," he said.

Hill spoke as US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice was in Asia where jump-starting the six-country negotiations -- involving North and South Koreas, Japan, Russia and China, as well as the United States -- is a major focus.

North Korea, meanwhile, said on Tuesday it may increase its nuclear arsenal to maintain a balance of power in East Asia.

On Feb. 10, Pyongyang declared for the first time it had nuclear weapons. U.S. officials have long believed the country had enough nuclear material for one or two bombs. In recent years, that number was revised to eight or more.

Three rounds of six-way talks since August 2003 have been inconclusive. A fourth round planned for late 2004 never materialized.

Although Hill's comments seemed to add increasing urgency to the debate, a State Department official said: "Nobody (in the administration) as far as I know has come to the conclusion that this negotiating process has run the string."

US President Bush and other top officials repeatedly have stressed their commitment to a diplomatic solution.

At the hearing, Hill chided China for failing to get Pyongyang to resume negotiations. "It's our view that China as the host of this process should make sure they get everybody to the table," he said.

Hill did not go into detail about Russian business involvement with North Korea. DeTrani said European states like Italy and Switzerland have explored business opportunities there but they have not panned out because of the North's lack of infrastructure.

Bush has not ruled out military options in dealing with Pyongyang's nuclear program but that is a highly risky strategy and there is no indication it is being seriously contemplated.

The Senate Foreign Relations Committee later approved the nominations of Hill, DeTrani and U.S. ambassador to Japan designate J. Thomas Schieffer. The full Senate must now vote.

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