China, North Korea Hold Talks          06/19 07:27

   BEIJING (AP) -- Negotiators from North Korea and China held strategic talks 
in Beijing on Wednesday as they work to repair strained relations, but offered 
little indication they will lead to a resumption of nuclear disarmament talks 
any time soon.

   Neither Pyongyang or Beijing offered details of the meeting between North 
Korean First Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan and Chinese Vice Foreign 
Minister Zhang Yesui. They were expected to focus on bilateral relations and 
the situation on the Korean Peninsula.

   The meeting followed Pyongyang's surprise offer Sunday for direct talks with 
the U.S. after months of threats that raised the possibility of fresh fighting 
on the Korean Peninsula.

   With its long-range rocket launch and nuclear test earlier this year, North 
Korea angered China, its most important ally, leading Beijing to back tightened 
U.N. sanctions, crack down on North Korean banking activity and urge Pyongyang 
to return to disarmament talks.

   North Korea has sought to mend ties since then, including with a visit last 
month to Beijing by top envoy Vice Marshal Choe Ryong Hae, who was quoted as 
saying Pyongyang was "willing to take active measures" to return to talks.

   Choe's visit was followed by renewed outreach to South Korea, and on Sunday, 
Pyongyang proposed "senior-level" talks with the U.S. to ease tensions and 
negotiate a formal peace treaty ending the Korean War, which concluded only 
with an armistice.

   However, in its invitation, North Korea's National Defense Commission, the 
powerful governing body led by leader Kim Jong Un, insisted that there be no 
preconditions to talks and no demands that Pyongyang give up its prized nuclear 
assets unless Washington is willing to do the same.

   The Obama administration responded that it was open to dialogue, but wants 
"credible negotiations" that involve North Korean compliance with U.N. 
resolutions and would lead to a nuclear-free North.

   The proposal is expected to be discussed in meetings this week in Washington 
involving U.S., Japanese and South Korean officials.

   Renewing nuclear talks is also expected to be on the agenda for meetings 
this week between Chinese leaders and visiting United Nations Secretary-General 
Ban Ki-moon, a former South Korean foreign minister.

   China is also expected to reaffirm its support for a nuclear-free Korean 
Peninsula during a visit next week by South Korea's President Park Geun-hye.

   North Korea continues to send mixed messages on negotiations and its only 
clear intent is to mend ties with Beijing, said Fang Xiuyu, a professor at the 
Center for Korean Studies at Shanghai's Fudan University.

   "North Korea hopes this visit could achieve the goal of having a meeting 
between leaders of the two countries and expounding to China its nuclear 
stance," Fang said.

   However, six-nation talks are dependent on first improving North-South 
relations and holding talks between Pyongyang and Washington, he said.

   "Without those conditions, the effect of the talks won't be good even if 
they do resume," Fang said.

   North Korea likely used Wednesday's talks to seek Chinese support for 
arranging a meeting with the U.S., said Hwang Jihwan, a North Korea expert at 
the University of Seoul.

   "North Korea will try to strategically use its relationship with China to 
facilitate dialogue with Washington. It will try to talk to the U.S. through 
China," Hwang said.   


(KA)