http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/20 ... 51315.html
(LEAD) N. Korea proposes general-level military talks over
repatriation of American troop remains: source
==========================================================
2018/07/12 19:54
(ATTN: CHANGE headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has reportedly proposed holding
general-level military talks with the United Nations Command (UNC)
over the repatriation of remains of American troops killed during the
1950-53 Korean War, sources here said Thursday.
North Korea asked the UNC Military Armistice Commission for
general-level military talks on Sunday, according to sources, after it
failed to show up at a meeting with the United States. Representatives
of the U.S. and North Korea were expected to have working-level talks
at the inter-Korean border truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday to
hash out the details of the repatriation, but the discussions did not
occur.
With the meeting not taking place, the UNC reportedly made a phone
call and North Koreans responded by saying that they needed to upgrade
the "level" of the talks.
"North Korea apparently wants a U.S. general to appear at the table to
quickly finalize the repatriation issue," the source said. "It is
likely that military generals from the U.S. and North Korea will take
part in the meeting."
The UNC told the U.S. defense ministry about North Korea's proposal
and is waiting for Washington's answer, the source added.
"We have to see the U.S. defense ministry's response, but the UNC
reportedly gave a positive signal to North Korea, so there is a good
chance of the talks taking place on Sunday," the source said.
If realized, they will be the first general-level military talks
between North Korea and the UNC since March 2009.
Earlier Thursday, a diplomatic source here said the U.S. and North
Korea were still in talks to set a date for working-level dialogue
over the repatriation of remains of American troops.
"The U.S. side had had discussions with the North with an aim to hold
the talks as early as July 12, but it appeared that the North was not
ready for the talks," the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition
of anonymity.
"The two sides are currently communicating to determine when to meet.
There appears to be a possibility that the U.S. could make some
announcement soon," he added.
At the June 12 Singapore summit, U.S. President Donald Trump and North
Korean leader Kim Jong-un committed to recovering the remains of
fallen American troops, including the immediate repatriation of those
already identified.
On June 23, the U.S. Forces Korea said that it had moved 100 wooden
"temporary transit cases" to the border to prepare for the remains'
delivery. Separately, it has moved 158 metal coffins to Osan Air Base
in Gyeonggi Province.
Observers said the repatriation, should it materialize, could give a
boost to the Washington-Pyongyang talks on denuclearization.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to make any significant
progress in fleshing out the North's denuclearization process during
his third visit to Pyongyang last week.
Earlier in the day, an official at Seoul's foreign ministry voiced
expectation that the June summit agreement, including the
repatriation, can quickly be enforced so as to achieve the goal of the
complete denuclearization of the peninsula.
Since 1990, the communist state has reportedly returned 629 sets of
remains to the U.S.
[1]
sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2018/07/12/0200000000AEN20180712010551315.html
(LEAD) N. Korea proposes general-level military talks over
repatriation of American troop remains: source
==========================================================
2018/07/12 19:54
(ATTN: CHANGE headline, lead; UPDATES throughout)
SEOUL, July 12 (Yonhap) -- North Korea has reportedly proposed holding
general-level military talks with the United Nations Command (UNC)
over the repatriation of remains of American troops killed during the
1950-53 Korean War, sources here said Thursday.
North Korea asked the UNC Military Armistice Commission for
general-level military talks on Sunday, according to sources, after it
failed to show up at a meeting with the United States. Representatives
of the U.S. and North Korea were expected to have working-level talks
at the inter-Korean border truce village of Panmunjom on Thursday to
hash out the details of the repatriation, but the discussions did not
occur.
With the meeting not taking place, the UNC reportedly made a phone
call and North Koreans responded by saying that they needed to upgrade
the "level" of the talks.
"North Korea apparently wants a U.S. general to appear at the table to
quickly finalize the repatriation issue," the source said. "It is
likely that military generals from the U.S. and North Korea will take
part in the meeting."
The UNC told the U.S. defense ministry about North Korea's proposal
and is waiting for Washington's answer, the source added.
"We have to see the U.S. defense ministry's response, but the UNC
reportedly gave a positive signal to North Korea, so there is a good
chance of the talks taking place on Sunday," the source said.
If realized, they will be the first general-level military talks
between North Korea and the UNC since March 2009.
Earlier Thursday, a diplomatic source here said the U.S. and North
Korea were still in talks to set a date for working-level dialogue
over the repatriation of remains of American troops.
"The U.S. side had had discussions with the North with an aim to hold
the talks as early as July 12, but it appeared that the North was not
ready for the talks," the source told Yonhap News Agency on condition
of anonymity.
"The two sides are currently communicating to determine when to meet.
There appears to be a possibility that the U.S. could make some
announcement soon," he added.
At the June 12 Singapore summit, U.S. President Donald Trump and North
Korean leader Kim Jong-un committed to recovering the remains of
fallen American troops, including the immediate repatriation of those
already identified.
On June 23, the U.S. Forces Korea said that it had moved 100 wooden
"temporary transit cases" to the border to prepare for the remains'
delivery. Separately, it has moved 158 metal coffins to Osan Air Base
in Gyeonggi Province.
Observers said the repatriation, should it materialize, could give a
boost to the Washington-Pyongyang talks on denuclearization.
U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo failed to make any significant
progress in fleshing out the North's denuclearization process during
his third visit to Pyongyang last week.
Earlier in the day, an official at Seoul's foreign ministry voiced
expectation that the June summit agreement, including the
repatriation, can quickly be enforced so as to achieve the goal of the
complete denuclearization of the peninsula.
Since 1990, the communist state has reportedly returned 629 sets of
remains to the U.S.
[1]sshluck@yna.co.kr
(END)