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CNN LIVE AT DAYBREAK

U.S. To Host Trilateral Talks on North Korea's Nuclear Program

Aired January 3, 2003 - 06:05   ET

THIS IS A RUSH TRANSCRIPT. THIS COPY MAY NOT BE IN ITS FINAL FORM AND MAY BE UPDATED.

FREDRICKA WHITFIELD, CNN ANCHOR: The U.S. will host talks in Washington next week on North Korea's nuclear program. The U.S., Japan and South Korea will get together to consider ways to end this standoff.
Let's go now to Seoul and get an update from CNN's Rebecca MacKinnon.

Good morning -- Rebecca.

REBECCA MACKINNON, CNN TOKYO BUREAU CHIEF: Hello, Fredricka.

Well, there has been a flurry of diplomacy here in the region in advance of those talks. A South Korean envoy was just in Beijing, hoping that China, as North Korea's closest ally, might be able to put some pressure to bear on North Korea to scrap its nuclear development program. An envoy from Seoul also on his way to Moscow, hoping that the Russians, who have good relations with North Korea, might also be able to help diplomatically with the situation.

Now, as you mentioned, there is going to be three-way talks in Washington at the beginning of next week between the three allies -- South Korea, Japan and the United States -- hosted by Assistant Secretary of State James Kelly. They will coordinate policy toward North Korea, make sure that the three allies do have a united stance. Then, Mr. Kelly will be heading over here to Seoul to confer at the highest levels here in the South Korean government to make sure that Washington and Seoul are on the same page when it comes to North Korea.

Now, the incoming president-elect, Roh Moo-hyun, here in South Korea has been somewhat critical of Washington's strategy towards isolating North Korea and critical of the fact that Washington has not been willing to talk at all with Pyongyang.

So, there are some subtle differences of strategy, although South Korea certainly condemning North Korea's behavior in recent weeks. The South Korean government is hoping to hold ministerial-level talks with the North Korean side at some point this month as part of the South Korean government's ongoing policy of engaging North Korea called the Sunshine Policy -- Fredricka.

WHITFIELD: All right, Rebecca, thank you very much.

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