DPRK SHOULD CONSIDER OFFERED OPTIONS SERIOUSLY – OPLE

Foreign Affairs Secretary Blas F. Ople today said that it is regrettable that the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea has dismissed a proposal for a multi-party security agreement that would ensure the security of the DPRK, provided that it abandons its nuclear weapons program.

"It is regrettable that the DPRK had readily dismissed what many acknowledge as a major concession by the United States. The DPRK should seriously consider options presented to it, particularly those that have the support of the entire region," Secretary Ople said.  

The Secretary was referring to the proposal of President George W. Bush for a multilateral document containing a clear commitment from the US that it would not attack the DPRK. However, the DPRK quickly dismissed this proposal and insisted on a bilateral non-aggression treaty between the US and the DPRK. "I think that the offer of President Bush, made on the sidelines of this week’s APEC Summit, was a major development. The offer for a multilateral security agreement can be seen as shift in US policy and is certainly vastly different from the rhetoric that we have been hearing from the United States on this issue," Secretary Ople said.   "The entire region has been supporting efforts to address the nuclear issue on the Korean peninsula. We have been supporting the six-way talks that have been held in China. The multilateral approach is the proper approach to this issue as we all have an important stake in the peace and stability of the Korean Peninsula," the Secretary added.   

The Secretary also said that it was proper for the APEC Leaders to discuss the issue of the Korean Peninsula, because of the intimate relations between security and trade issues. "The APEC Leaders did not address the Korean Peninsula in their formal statement, but their common sentiments for the peaceful resolution of this issue were expressed in the statement of Thailand, the Chair of this year’s Summit," the Secretary said. END.