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The Delegations of the United States of America, the Republic of Korea (ROK), and Japan, headed respectively by Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs James A. Kelly, Deputy Foreign Minister Ambassador Lee Tae-sik, and Director-General of Asian and Oceanian Affairs Hitoshi Tanaka, held this year's third U.S.-ROK-Japan Trilateral Coordination and Oversight Group (TCOG) meeting in San Francisco on June 17, 2002.
The three delegations shared the view that they are now facing a critical opportunity to improve relations with North Korea. They reconfirmed the importance of engaging North Korea in the international community through constructive dialogue, which would greatly enhance prospects for peace and prosperity in Northeast Asia. The three delegations also affirmed the importance of comprehensive and flexible talks with North Korea to resolve their respective issues of concern, and emphasized the need for North Korea to take a constructive attitude toward these issues. The ROK and Japanese delegations welcomed U.S. plans to undertake serious dialogue with North Korea, and expressed their intention to conduct their own dialogue with North Korea in parallel with U.S.-DPRK dialogue. The U.S. and Japanese delegations reaffirmed their support for President Kim Dae-jung s policy of engagement. The three delegations reiterated that continued close consultations and trilateral coordination remain vital to the success of their individual efforts. They also expressed their desire for a humanitarian resolution to the North Korean refugee issue.
Highlighting the importance of improved implementation of the 1994 Agreed Framework, the three delegations noted that construction of the Light Water Reactors is proceeding, and called on North Korea to move forward with steps needed to begin full cooperation with the IAEA.
Finally, the three delegations agreed to hold the next round of trilateral consultations in the near future to further coordinate their respective policies toward North Korea. |
