Evening Walk-Through With Reporters at Six-Party Talks

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Earlier today we had discussions with the DPRK. The discussions focused on a review of the various issues -- including, and I would say especially -- disablement because we’re really going to begin a very serious part of that issue tomorrow when our disablement team will go in. So we discussed the way ahead until the end of the year. After that I returned to the Embassy. We had lunch at the Embassy.

Later on, I had meeting at the Foreign Ministry with Mr. Wu Dawei. We also reviewed the overall course of the Six-Party process, including the desire to have a ministerial by the end of the year. And Mr. Wu shared some dates with me that they would like to have the ministerial.

So tonight I’ll be having a working dinner with the DPRK delegation.

QUESTION: Did you discuss the timing of the declarations?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Again, we talked about -- that the declaration needs to be accomplished by the end of the year and that we want to get going on that within the next two weeks. So I think there is an understanding that that is what we’re shooting for -- to begin the declaration process within the next few weeks. And that should allow enough time that by the end of the year we’ll have a mutually satisfactory declaration.

QUESTION: So basically they want to hand out the initial declaration (inaudible)?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: We didn’t discuss precisely the day when they’ll do it or to whom they’ll do it. But we expect it to be within the next week or two -- an initial declaration.

QUESTION: You said you were going to discuss mostly technical aspects today. Can you elaborate on that?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: We talked about some of the scope of the disabling and the type of measures that can be taken. We also talked about some of the technicalities of our team there. For example, communications, issues like that. We, for example, had some difficulties with telephone calls last time. So we want to address some of those issues. So I think, as I mentioned when I was last here, we’re at a phase now where we’re talking about nuts and bolts and various details of this phase. We do have in mind a course in the beginning of 2008 of turning to another phase, and that is the final and irreversible dismantlement of these facilities and, very importantly, the abandonment of the weaponized plutonium.

QUESTION: Were there any points of contention today? Or do you think everything went pretty smoothly?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I think everything went pretty smoothly. We weren’t negotiating; we were more comparing notes. Again, negotiations take part in the Six-Party process, and this is a consultation.

QUESTION: Did you discuss the timing of when North Korea will come off the terrorism list?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: We discussed several procedures for that --what will have to happen and what we will be expecting in some of the upcoming discussions we will have in that regard. We also talked about when we could have a meeting to discuss financial issues. As you recall, we wanted to set up a sub-working group to discuss financial issues. This is in connection with our ongoing concerns about counterfeiting and other issues emanating from the DPRK.

QUESTION: If you reach an agreement with North Korea on the terrorism list issue, would you say you made progress?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: Again, we were discussing procedures more than anything else. And we also discussed the events that took place off the coast of Somalia today, with the incident involving the attempted takeover of the North Korean vessel by Somali pirates and the intercession of the U.S. Navy vessel.

QUESTION: Can you tell us exactly what steps will be taken to start disablement. Exactly what happens when you start dismantling some of this equipment?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: There are three facilities in Yongbyon, and there are some procedures that have been agreed on to take apart the equipment there. So we think that will begin actually this week. We’ve had two site surveys by some technical teams. So we know precisely what is involved in that and what some of the measures need to be. Again, it’s very technical, and I don’t feel I’m the right person to go into some of that here.

QUESTION: You mentioned discussion of the financial issues. The last time that issue came up with BDA the Six-Party Talks stalled for over a year. Are you concerned that some of those things might scuttle talks again this time?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: No, I think from their point of view they’re interested in improved access to the international financial system. From our point of view, we’re interested in assurances and actions on their part to deal with the problems of counterfeiting and other money laundering concerns, which I think have been prime issues in impeding them from access to the international financial system.

QUESTION: Ambassador, did the North Koreans show any willingness or any sign to make progress on the abduction issue?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: We had a lengthy discussion about that. Without going into too much of what they said, I can tell you what I said -- which is, we consider it a real priority that the Japan-North Korea working group proceed and make progress. And, in particular, we want to see progress on this abduction issue. Again, I don’t want to be quoting what they said on this, except to say that I think they understand our concerns that they need to make some progress on this issue.

QUESTION: Did you talk about the Syrian issue with North Korea?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: I addressed the issue and our concerns about proliferation. Yes, I did.

QUESTION: What did they say?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: They reiterated their assurances that are conveyed in the last joint statement, Six-Party joint statement, that they will not engage in any transfer of nuclear technology and material. So they reiterated the position that was laid out in that joint statement. And I continue to raise, as I’ve done in the past, our concerns about proliferation.

QUESTION: Did you have any discussions with Russia today?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: No, I’m going to see the Russian Ambassador tomorrow. I just ran out of time today because our discussions at the Chinese Foreign Ministry went a little late.

QUESTION: Is it a working dinner tonight?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: You recall we were originally talking about having possibly two sessions -- one at the DPRK Embassy and one at our Embassy. And, instead, we just stayed at the DPRK Embassy and we agreed to have a working dinner.

QUESTION: So today’s discussions were helpful?

ASSISTANT SECRETARY HILL: It was a useful exchange of information. This was not a negotiation. So I think it was a good exchange of information. I think the Six-Party process is going forward.

I must say though that we have a lot of work to do in the next couple of months, especially on this phase. But, as we get into ’08, we will have even more work to do -- because that is the crucial and final phase, which involves dismantlement and abandoning of all the weapons, of all the weaponized plutonium. So I think if you were in my position, you would kind of feel the burden of all the work that is ahead of us.