Reuters AlertNet Lite - U.S. negotiator expected to get new title

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U.S. negotiator expected to get new title

07 Dec 2006 02:17:10 GMT
Source: Reuters

WASHINGTON, Dec 6 (Reuters) - U.S. negotiator Chris Hill is expected to be designated the new special Korea policy coordinator, a position created by the U.S. Congress in an attempt to encourage changes in the Bush administration's approach, which has failed to deter North Korea from developing nuclear weapons.

A senior U.S. official said on Wednesday that he expected the nomination to go forward and described the designation as "more of a bureaucratic thing than anything."

When authorized by Congress in a recent defense bill, the new post was intended to be filled by a higher-profile political appointee who could give support to Hill and other officials favoring engagement with Pyongyang.

Some analysts have argued that appointing someone else to the special coordinator job would undercut Hill, who is deeply engaged in efforts to encourage North Korea to return to six-country negotiations on its nuclear programs.

Chris Nelson, an Asia expert and author of the Nelson Report newsletter, this week quoted Hill supporters as saying Hill felt he would be undermined if he did not get the appointment and threatened to resign if the post went to another candidate.

Hill was not immediately available for comment.

During recent talks in Beijing, Hill outlined in more detail benefits that North Korea could accrue if it gave up its nuclear programs, officials said.

"I think that there was a general discussion, on both sides, as to how they could move forward, using the September 19th, 2005, joint declaration as the basis for moving forward and touching on those issue areas," State Department spokesman Sean McCormack told a news briefing.

"The discussions focused on the issue areas that are outlined in that joint declaration."

McCormack insisted the talks with North Korean and Chinese officials amounted to a "general discussion" and not a negotiation. Hill went into more detail about how the September 2005 statement of principles could benefit the North.

"At that next round of talks, there's still going to be negotiation. ... But this (recent discussion in Beijing) gives each of the parties an idea of what they might expect in terms of general outcomes," McCormack said.

In the broadly written September 2005 statement of principles, North Korea agreed to give up its nuclear programs while the United States affirmed that it has no intention of attacking or invading the isolated Communist state.

The United States, South Korea, Japan, Russia and China said they would provide the North with energy assistance and consider, at an appropriate time, providing Pyongyang with light-water nuclear reactors; normalizing relations; and negotiating a peace treaty.

No date for another round of six-party negotiations has been announced. Russian officials predicted it would not take place until 2007, but a U.S. official said Washington had not given up on negotiations in December.

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Last updated:Fri Jan 5 09:35:25 2007