Remarks After Dinner With Vice Foreign Minister Chun Young-woo

QUESTION: Did you have a good discussion?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Well, we had a good discussion about the way forward and the Six Party process. We discussed of course the issue of the declaration, and the fact that we need to show a little patience on this, and the fact that I think that we both agree that the importance of a complete declaration is greater than the importance of a declaration on time.

QUESTION: You have been saying repeatedly, are you talking about calling for the need for patience when it comes to declaration? But the clock keeps on ticking. What’s your running time when it comes to declaration?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Well, we will know our limits when we reach them, but certainly I think whenever you deal with the Six Party process you should have patience in mind.

QUESTION: Can we expect one this year, a final declaration?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: This year, yes. Yes, I am sure we can, yes.

QUESTION: How often do you get North Korea to -- You know you said earlier at the airport that North Korea is not ready to give a full declaration of its nuclear programs. But how can you get North Korea to change that position?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Well, I think that the issue of how to get them to change their position, ultimately I think they have to make certain decisions for themselves on that. We have a very complex set of agreements. Certainly the October 3rd agreement is a continuation of that very complex process. I think it is a very balanced process. I think it is very much in their interest to make that declaration -- because if they make that declaration, we will then follow with some bilateral considerations, and we will continue through this process. I think it is clearly in their own interest. So that is why you set up an agreement in which there is give and take. That is why it is very important that all sides have something to gain. And I think the North Koreans really have something to gain if they follow through.

QUESTION: You are optimistic that they are going to change their --

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: You know, I never use the word optimism -- except when I am talking about my baseball team. But I think the Six Party process is always going to be a difficult process. It is always going to involve deadlines, some of which are unfortunately missed. And it is always going to require a certain amount of patience -- but a certain amount of resolve as well, with the understanding that this is the right way to approach the problem, and we need to stick with it and get it done. So I think it is very important for the ROK and the U.S. to work very closely together. We have been doing that continuously through the Six Party process. It has been my great honor to work with Ambassador Chun here, and I think that we will continue to work on this. If you want me to be optimistic, I will tell you that I think that we will eventually succeed in this.

QUESTION: Ambassador Hill, is Washington ready and/ or willing to perhaps give the North a little something more if it means bringing out or obtaining a final declaration?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I think we work very hard to structure these agreements. And most recently in October, it is a very balanced agreement. It involved a lot of hard work, and there is a certain point where everyone has to do what they are supposed to do. I think a declaration needs to be complete and correct, and I think everyone understands that. So we are continuing to work on that, and we will continue to work together. I am going to go from here to China and talk to Wu Dawei to see how the Chinese perceive this. I’ll go to Russia as well, and we will see how we do. You know we are in the first week of January, and obviously we’ve got some work to do. Thank you very much.