South Korea seeks bilateral nuclear talks with North Korea

South Korea seeks bilateral nuclear talks with North Korea

2011-07-22 09:57:51 GMT+7 (ICT)

BALI, INDONESIA (BNO NEWS) -- The South Korean government is attempting to arrange an informal meeting with a senior North Korean official at the annual ASEAN meeting in Indonesia, the South's Yonhap news agency reported on Friday.

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is currently holding its regional forum (ARF) which is an annual informal multilateral dialogue between members and some non-members to address security issues in the Asia-Pacific region. It is being held in Bali, Indonesia.

Among those attending are the South's chief negotiator Wi Sung-lac and the North's Ri Yong-ho, and the Yonhap news agency reported on Friday that the South Korean government has sent a request to the North for an informal meeting at the summit about the North's nuclear program.

"We conveyed our proposal yesterday (Thursday) to the North Korean side to hold a meeting between Wi and Ri on the sidelines of the ARF," a ranking South Korean diplomat told the Yonhap news agency on the condition of anonymity. "Our side believes that the ARF presented a good chance to hold a bilateral meeting with the North's side."

Yonhap reported that the North has not yet responded to the offer, but the diplomat said 'hectic diplomatic efforts' are underway to arrange the meeting. Six-party nuclear disarmament talks have been stalled since late 2008 due to North Korea's anger over United Nations sanctions.

Last month, North Korea reportedly test-fired a short-range missile off its western coast. It was the first such test in North Korea in more than 1.5 year. On May 25, 2009, North Korea conducted a nuclear test near the county of Kilju in North Hamgyong province. It was followed by the test-firings of at least 11 missiles, while 11 more were fired two months later.

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