U.S. Policies on North Korea Criticized (by China & S Korea )

[maddezmom]

WASHINGTON - The Bush administration's tactics for disarming North Korea (news - web sites) are not working, two key U.S. supporters of talks with Pyongyang told Secretary of State Colin Powell (news - web sites) this week. But the administration is downplaying a rift with its partners on the sensitive issue — which has been a subject of repeated sparring by President Bush (news - web sites) and Democratic opponent John Kerry (news - web sites).

The State Department says the United States enjoys a "remarkable similarity of views" with China and South Korea (news - web sites) on North Korea, despite differences they aired. The United States has joined with those two countries, plus Japan and Russia, to press North Korea to dismantle its nuclear weapons programs in exchange for economic benefits and security guarantees.


The process is at a standstill because Pyongyang refused to show up for talks scheduled for September. Bush administration officials believe the North is intentionally delaying talks until after the U.S. presidential elections.


With Powell standing at his side in Seoul on Tuesday, South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki Moon said the United States and fellow negotiators "must come up with a more creative and realistic proposal" to lure North Korea back to the talks.

more: http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=542&ncid=696&e=1&u=/ap/20041031/ap_on_go_ca_st_pe/us_north_korea