The Hindu : China, North Korea discuss n-issue

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 28, 2003

International

International

China, North Korea discuss n-issue

By P. S. Suryanarayana

SINGAPORE Dec. 27. The Chinese Vice-Foreign Minister, Wang Yi, and the North Korean three Vice-Ministers of Foreign Affairs have agreed to "make appropriate preparations'' for the convening of the next round of multilateral talks to ensure a nuclear-weapons-free Korean peninsula.

The understanding was reached after two days of extensive talks that concluded in Pyongyang on Friday and assumes importance in the context of the delay in holding the second round of the six-party parleys. The first round was held in Beijing last August, and China played the prime mover in trying to convene the second round before the end of this year.

China indicated, only a few days ago, that the second round might be held only in the new year. The U.S., South Korea, Japan and Russia are the other four parties to the negotiations.

While regional diplomats point out that the delay could be traced to the complexities of evolving a formulation to introduce the idea of some "U.S. security assurances for North Korea'' as an agenda item, China noted that Pyongyang's `reasonable' security concerns should be addressed. China said that it attached importance to the DPRK's willingness to give up its "nuclear programmes''.

The Chinese version can be interpreted to indicate the DPRK's willingness to de-nuclearise its facilities on the basis that its legitimate security concerns would be met.

Non-proliferation rules

China's Ministry of Commerce and General Administration of Customs has announced "interim measures'' to tighten controls in regard to the export of sensitive items and technologies that could be used for the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their delivery systems. These measures relate to the "operational rules'' designed to implement the non-proliferation laws and other regulations that China has already put in place.

The field-level rules are aimed at facilitating export registration under a licensing system in respect of sensitive products and know-how relating to the proliferation of nuclear as also biological and chemical weapons besides missiles and their parts.

The rules are said to empower the customs authorities to enhance checks with a view to promoting lawful trade and preventing the contraband exports.

`Self-discipline' on the part of entrepreneurs would also be a norm under this framework.

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