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| China-Japan-Koreas |
| Chinese official to visit Norks on mission to resume nuclear talks |
| 2010-02-05 |
| BEIJING/SEOUL, Feb. 5 (Yonhap) -- A senior official of China's Communist Party is set to visit North Korea next week apparently on a mission to help resume stalled talks on ending the North's nuclear program, informed sources in Beijing said Friday. Wang Jiarui, the head of the party's international department, is expected to visit Pyongyang and meet with North Korean leader Kim Jong-il next week, the sources said. "Wang's trip to Pyongyang can be seen as part of a regular exchange of visits for New Year's greetings, but it may bring significant changes to the six-party talks," a source said, asking not to be identified. Wang's expected meeting with Kim will be closely watched because it may lead to the North's announcement of its return to the nuclear negotiations, also attended by South Korea, the U.S., Japan, China and Russia. Wang may also speak with Kim about the possibility of the North Korean leader visiting China. North Korea has boycotted the nuclear negotiations since late 2008, but the North Korean leader told China's visiting Premier Wen Jiabao last year that his country may return to the talks following bilateral dialogue with the United States. A special U.S. representative for North Korea policy, Stephen Bosworth, visited Pyongyang in December but Pyongyang has yet to declare its return to the six-party talks. Observers believe Pyongyang may do so following Kim's anticipated trip to China to win economic concessions from its communist ally. The North Korean leader was widely expected to visit China at the beginning of the year, but the sources said a trip is only possible after an invitation from the Chinese Communist Party as Kim, head of the National Defense Commission, does not hold any official title in the North's Cabinet. Wang is said to be tasked with delivering an invitation. So we know who drew the short straw ... "If Wang visits North Korea, he will likely meet many of North Korea's ranking officials and we believe the topics of such meetings will inevitably include the six-party talks and North Korea's return to the negotiating table," an official said. |
| Posted by:Steve White |
| #3 don't take a train |
| Posted by: Frank G 2010-02-05 18:01 |
| #2 Ah, they sent their best Wang. Is he carrying a clue-bat? |
| Posted by: mojo 2010-02-05 14:06 |
| #1 Buying or selling? |
| Posted by: ed 2010-02-05 01:24 |