NORTH KOREA Missile Test Canceled................................... 24-25 Status of AmCit Hunziker................................. 25 Agreed Framework and South Korean Nuclear Technicians.... 25-26
QUESTION: On North Korea.
MR. BURNS: Yes.
QUESTION: Is it your understanding that the North Koreans have canceled their plans for a missile test?
MR. BURNS: It now appears that the North Koreans have decided not to conduct a missile test. You can never be sure about the North Koreans, but, as you know, the United States has publicly urged and privately urged North Korea not to conduct missile tests, because we think it would be destabilizing in north Asia, and we don't think it would serve the cause of peace on the Korean peninsula. We hope that these missile tests are never undertaken, and it now appears that they will not undertake them.
QUESTION: Can you say what it is that makes it appear as if they're not going to --
MR. BURNS: As you know, we've had some recent contacts with the North Koreans in New York, and we do have a variety of means to make contact with the North Koreans. But I don't want to be absolutely definitive, because we're dealing with a country that is not an open and transparent country.
QUESTION: (Inaudible) the fact that the North Koreans have told the U.S. they're not going to test?
MR. BURNS: I'm sticking to my formulation -- my diplomatic formulation on this one, Judd.
QUESTION: Or are there other means of knowing?
MR. BURNS: We are choosing here to say it doesn't appear likely, but you can never be definitive about the North Koreans. We've learned that from the past.
QUESTION: So there's this apparent cancellation of the missile test, and then the references to Mr. Hunziker as a humanitarian case -- it seems that things are easing a bit between Washington and Pyonyang. Would that -- would you agree --
MR. BURNS: It's always hard to say with the North Koreans. In the case of Mr. Hunziker, who's the young American being held unjustly by the North Koreans, we have seen some encouraging North Korean Foreign Ministry statements about him -- about the fact that his case may be deemed by them to be humanitarian.
As you know, we think he should be released immediately. Mr. Lovquist, who's the Swedish diplomat acting on behalf of the United States in Pyongyang, has requested a visit to Mr. Hunziker. I expect that visit to -- I think it's happening today and tomorrow. Because of the communications blackout, we don't have any reports right now from Mr. Lovquist, but I expect to have them -- certainly. in a couple of days. We hope that Mr. Hunziker is well, and we hope he'll be released.
QUESTION: So Lovquist -- they told you Lovquist can go in and see him then?
MR. BURNS: We understand that Mr. Lovquist is gaining access to him, hopefully today and tomorrow. But again, there are no immediate communications. We don't have CNN, and we don't have a United States diplomatic presence in Pyongyang.
QUESTION: Okay, and then just -- I'm sorry, one more.
QUESTION: (Inaudible)
MR. BURNS: It's up to you. (Laughter) You guys decide what you want to do. (Laughter)
QUESTION: Nick, one more. The South Koreans --
MR. BURNS: We believe in the free flow of information all around the world.
QUESTION: The South Korean position, which is support by you all, is that the technicians, to work on the nuclear reactor should not go north until their security can be guaranteed as a result of various events, including these two. Is this now the gesture you all were looking for to go ahead and resume work on the nuclear reactors? Are these in concert the gestures you were for?
MR. BURNS: Let me just say, Sid, the United States believes that the Agreed Framework ought to go forward. We are meeting our commitments, and we've not seen any North Korean action that would indicate that the North Koreans are not meeting their commitments. The Agreed Framework is going forward -- it's being implemented.
QUESTION: No, I know, but these South Korean technicians -- South Korea is refusing to -- with your support -- is refusing to send these technicians who will actually do the work, north, which --
MR. BURNS: The security of anybody has to be assured, and that's part of any international agreement.
QUESTION: And the net effect was that the program could not go forward -- the short pause Winston Lord was talking about, and others around here. You all have said and the South Koreans have said that you are looking for gesture -- a firm gesture from the North Koreans. Are these the gestures you're looking for? Is it time now to resume the technical work that has been --
MR. BURNS: You mean these other issues?
QUESTION: Yes.
MR. BURNS: No. I'm not linking these issues. I'm not linking the missile tests and Carl Hunziker and the Agreed Framework. They're all important issues -- they stand alone. The North Koreans have an obligation to meet their commitments on one and not to link them to the other.
QUESTION: Thank you.
MR. BURNS: Thank you.
(The briefing concluded at 2:07 p.m.)
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