Originally published by the Voice of America (www.voanews.com).
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February 20, 2008

US Nuclear Envoy Says N. Korea Taking 'Positive' Steps to Address
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Uranium Concerns
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http://enews.voanews.com/t?ctl=1B4D1E6:A6F02AD83191E160B85BA41CB1B692D2E55ED32ED25AB8F6& Christopher Hill
says multinational talks on North Korea's nuclear program are not at a
stalement, despite Pyongyang's failure to produce a full description
of its nuclear activities Washington's chief negotiator on the North
Korean nuclear issue says the multinational talks are not at a
stalemate. He says, despite its failure to produce a promised
description of its nuclear activities, Pyongyang wants to clarify
issues of concern. Hill also says North Korea's chief negotiator told
him Pyongyang is not sharing nuclear technology with other countries.
VOA's Kurt Achin reports from Seoul.







Christopher Hill speaks to reporters in Seoul, 20 Feb 08U.S. Assistant
Secretary of State Christopher Hill says Pyongyang continues to insist
it has not engaged in uranium enrichment activities. Hill spoke
Wednesday with reporters in Seoul, a day after his meeting in Beijing
with North Korean counterpart Kim Kye Kwan.

Experts say a disagreement over whether North Korea pursued a secret
uranium enrichment program is the main reason Pyongyang has failed to
produce a complete nuclear declaration it promised to deliver by the
end of last year. North Korea has never publicly admitted the program,
while Washington says it has abundant evidence to show it existed.

Still, Hill described Kim Kye Kwan's attempts to address the issue as
"positive."







Photo released by U.S. researchers who visited North Korea shows empty
inner structure of cooling tower at the Yongbyon Nuclear Center, 14
Feb 08"They have purchased some equipment and have been trying to show
to us that this equipment is not being used for uranium enrichment, on
the theory that, if they can show that the equipment is not being used
for uranium enrichment, therefore we do not have a uranium enrichment
problem," explained Hill.

He said Kim also assured him North Korea is not involved in nuclear
proliferation. "He wanted to make very clear that they are not at
present having any nuclear cooperation with any other country, and
they will not in the future," added Hill.

North Korea has taken significant steps toward stopping and disabling
its means of plutonium production under the terms of a deal reached
early last year. The overdue declaration of its nuclear pursuits would
wrap up the second phase of a broader arrangement. That deal would end
the North's nuclear arsenal altogether in exchange for diplomatic and
financial incentives.

Hill repeated Wednesday that the U.S. still expects a complete
declaration to be submitted, saying Washington cannot "pretend" to
ignore North Korean nuclear activities it knows took place.

He also offered Pyongyang some reassurance that the U.S. and its
regional partners will eventually be satisfied with the answers North
Korea provides.

"From the DPRK's point of view, they are always concerned, when they
tell us something, that what they tell us will be followed by
additional questions," said Hill, "and what I want to assure them is
that, yes, there will be additional questions, but not an infinite
number of questions."

Separately, South Korean officials have struck an agreement to
preserve the Unification Ministry, Seoul's main policy body for
dealing with the North. President-elect Lee Myung-bak, due to be sworn
in Monday, initially drew criticism by announcing he would downsize
the ministry into a department of the South Korean Foreign Ministry.




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