US presidential candidate Bill Richardson arrived in North Korea
yesterday for a rare visit to the country by a prominent American
official.
The trip, which has been endorsed by the administration of US
President George W. Bush, comes days before a crucial deadline in a
recent nuclear disarmament accord.
Richardson, the Democratic governor of New Mexico, said he had
no intention of negotiating nuclear matters. The delegation he
brings aims to recover the remains of US servicemen killed during
the Korean War (1950-53).
Still, he said on the flight to Pyongyang that the timing of the
visit is important and will show Pyongyang the United States' good
intentions, ahead of Saturday's deadline for North Korea to shut
down its main nuclear reactor.
Pyongyang, he said, will understand the symbolism of a
delegation that includes Anthony Principi, the former veteran
affairs secretary for US President George W. Bush, and Victor Cha,
a top adviser on North Korea.
"It could be the signal of an improved relationship," he said of
the discussions to secure US remains. "The North Koreans (DPRK)
always consider protocol very important. They like to be considered
a major power in the region."
Since the breakthrough February 13 nuclear agreement, there has
been little progress. The North has refused further negotiations
due to the delayed transfer of US$25 million of the government's
money frozen by Macao authorities after the US blacklisted a bank
in the Chinese administrative region in 2005 for allegedly helping
Pyongyang launder money.
Some worry the concerns could delay implementation of the
disarmament agreement.
The US State Department said on Friday that a hitch stalling the
release of the funds had been resolved, potentially clearing the
way for the disbursement of the money. No details were released on
when or how the money would be transferred.
Many details of Richardson's schedule in North Korea were
unclear, even as he flew to Pyongyang.
Richardson said he requested to meet with top North Korean
leaders and to visit the North's sole operating nuclear reactor at
Yongbyon, 90 kilometers north of Pyongyang.
On Wednesday, the delegation plans to drive from Pyongyang to
South Korea, hopefully with the US remains.
However, Richardson said the way the North typically operates
made it difficult to predict how the trip would go.
"They never tell you the schedule until you arrive," said
Richardson, on his sixth trip to North Korea.
Richardson has regularly made diplomatic trips, often on his own
initiative, to a number of countries at odds with the United
States.
(China Daily April 9, 2007)
