Bush lauds China's role for NKorea's comeback

Washington, Nov 1: United States President George W Bush has publicly highlighted the role of China in bringing North Korea back to the multilateral talks as desired by it, about three weeks after the impoverished hermit nation had tested its first nuclear device.

''I'm pleased, and I want to thank the Chinese for encouraging the meeting that got the agreement to get the six-party talks restarted,'' Mr Bush told mediapersons yesterday while welcoming the development.

Unlike Iraq, where it had insisted on a unilateral approach, the US has all along preferred a multilateral course in this case, even going to the extent of rejecting North Korea's plea for direct Pyongyang-Washington talks on the issue.

''I've always felt like it is important for the United States to be at the table with other partners, when it comes to addressing this important issue,'' Mr Bush said.

He said the United States would be sending teams to the region to make sure the upcoming talks, which could resume before the end of 2006, are effective and the United Nations Security Council resolution (1718) sanctioning Pyongyang is implemented.

White House Press Secretary Tony Snow said North Korea's decision was ''a real step forward,'' and the Bush administration hoped that, ultimately, Pyongyang would renounce all its nuclear activities in a verifiable way.

He said China, North Korea's ''number one trading partner and number one supplier of energy'', persuaded Pyongyang to return to the talks.

China had ''made it pretty clear that they're very unhappy with the way the North Koreans have been behaving,'' Mr Snow said.

State Department spokesman Sean McCormack said China ''made some fundamental decisions'' in the wake of North Korea's October 9 nuclear test, which resulted in the passage of UN Security Council Resolution 1718.

The surprise announcement was made in Beijing yesterday, where envoys from North Korea, China and the United States had been holding unpublicised talks. The other participants in the six-nation talks are: Russia, South Korea and Japan.

Unlike South Korea and Russia which joined the United States and China in cheering the unexpected news of resumption of the six-party talks with North Korea, Japanese stance appeared tough, insisting that North Korea will not be allowed back to the talks, if it still possesses nuclear weapons.

When asked about Japan's statement, Mr Snow said all the participants to the six-party talks backed the agreement to resume negotiations.

Meanwhile, Mr McCormack said North Korea has said it is returning to the Six-Party Talks ''without precondition,'' and the United States hopes there will be a meeting before the end of 2006, adding that the venue would ''probably be in Beijing.'' The Bush administration expects North Korea will be participating ''with a seriousness of purpose,'' and would use the September 19, 2005, joint statement offering N Korea incentives, in return for ending its nuclear activities as a starting point for the talks.

UNI