China's U.N. ambassador sees signs that North Korea is moving toward opening up to the outside world and showing flexibility in the standoff over its nuclear programs. Wang Guangya said this week's visit to China by North Korea's leader Kim Jong Il — his last visit three years ago — the country's economic reforms, and its "unusual" request for international assistance following Thursday's deadly train explosion "all head in that direction."
"But sometimes because they have different feelings about their environment, they retreat," he said. "Then they move forward again. I hope the country will move in the right direction," he said in an interview on Friday. Wang urged the international community "to be forthcoming, be positive in responding to their request" for help for the victims of the train blast. During Kim's recent visit to Beijing, he said, China agreed to provide more economic assistance. "As far as specific programs, both sides have to agree to work it out," Wang said. "We agreed to continue and also to increase our economic assistance."
North Korea is trying to reform its economy "because without changes in their economy they will remain in bad shape, so they realize this," he said. Wang said one of the main topics during Kim's visit, which included talks with Chinese President Hu Jintao, was North Korea's nuclear program and the six-party talks aimed at ending the standoff. North Korea said Thursday it would be "patient and flexible" at the talks, adding that Kim agreed with the Chinese president to "push ahead" with a peaceful resolution. The statements, carried by the North's official KCNA news agency and central television network, were likely to be encouraging to the United States and other countries, who want China to use its leverage as North Korea's leading supplier of food and energy aid to get the country to disarm. |