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U.S. will hold 5-nation N. Korea talks, minus N. Korea

By ASSOCIATED PRESS
Published July 21, 2006

WASHINGTON - The top U.S. envoy at stalled North Korean disarmament talks said Thursday the United States wants to meet with South Korea, Japan, Russia and China next week to figure out a way to persuade North Korea to return to negotiations.

"The purpose is to chart the way forward," Assistant Secretary of State Chris Hill said after a Senate Foreign Relations Committee hearing.

The North since November has boycotted the six-nation talks on its self-announced nuclear weapons production program. Two weeks ago, Pyongyang test-fired seven missiles, an act of defiance seen as an attempt to put itself on top of the world's agenda. But the reclusive, communist-led country has been largely brushed aside by violence in the Middle East.

Hill said that the goal was to include North Korea at the five-nation gathering on the sidelines of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' annual meeting of foreign ministers in Malaysia. But, he added, "The North Koreans don't seem to want to go to six-party meetings right now."

The five-party talks, Hill said, could also include other nations in the region.

Hill said could not confirm reports that Iranian officials had witnessed the July 4 launches. He said he misspoke when he told lawmakers earlier that he could confirm such reports.

Later, State Department spokesman Sean McCormack also said he could not confirm the reports. When asked if North Korea was trying to market its weapons, he said, "With respect to weapons, anything that isn't bolted down, they're ready to sell."

Since the missile launches, which included one missile that could potentially reach parts of the United States, little headway has been made toward getting the North to return to the talks. North Korea has refused to do so because of U.S. sanctions for alleged counterfeiting and money laundering.

Japan, United States agree on missile defense plan

TOKYO - Japan and the United States on Thursday announced a plan to deploy advanced Patriot interceptor missiles at American bases on southern Okinawa island.

The U.S. government will have Patriot Advanced Capability-3 missiles operational by the end of the year and post 600 more troops on Okinawa, the Foreign Ministry said.

Officials on the island 1,000 miles southwest of Tokyo questioned the need for the missiles, and protesters angered by the announcement stormed a local government building. Okinawa residents have expressed a strong desire for a large reduction in U.S. forces.

The United States has about 50,000 troops in Japan under a mutual security pact.

Japan said the deployment would be purely for defense.

[Last modified July 21, 2006, 00:05:51]