On her one-day visit to Seoul yesterday, U.S. National Security Adviser Condoleezza Rice met with President Roh Moo-hyun and Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon to discuss the North Korean nuclear issue, the realignment of U.S. forces in South Korea and other pending bilateral issues.
Ms. Rice said it was time for North Korea to completely dismantle its nuclear programs, adding the North "will be surprised to see how much will be possible" if it does so. "I wish Kim Jong-il would talk to
Qaddafi," she said, referring to the Libyan leader's decision to voluntarily give up his nuclear program.
She delivered a letter from U.S. President George W. Bush to Mr. Roh, saying it contained Mr. Bush's thoughts on the U.S.-Korea alliance.
Blue House officials said the focus of the discussions between Mr. Roh and Ms. Rice was on strongly maintaining the U.S.-South Korea alliance. Ms. Rice reiterated Mr. Bush's reassurances that Washington will continue diplomatic efforts to resolve the North Korean nuclear issue peacefully through the talks among the two Koreas, the United States, China, Russia and Japan.
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