NAPSNet Daily Report 3 August, 2010
Contents in this Issue:
1. DPRK Detention of American
Daily NK (Chris Green, “U.S. IN DIRECT CONTACT WITH NORTH KOREA ON GOMES”, 2010/08/03) reported that the U.S. has been in direct contact with DPRK representatives to try and bring about the release of detained U.S. citizen Aijalon Mahli Gomes, State Department spokesman Philip Crowley said in Monday’s press briefing. “We have communicated directly with North Korean officials about Mr. Gomes’ case,” Crowley told assembled journalists, adding, “We’d like to see him released on humanitarian grounds. And we continue to press his case, as do the Swedish authorities on our behalf.” He added Washington is as yet not considering sending a high level envoy to the DPRK to secure Gomes’ release.
http://www.dailynk.com/english/read.php?cataId=nk00100&num=6656
2. DPRK-Burma Relations
The Irrawaddy (Wai Moe, “PYONGYANG’S MEDIA HIGHLIGHTS JUNTA’S PRAISE OF KIM JONG IL”, 2010/08/02) reported that the DPRK media highlighted Burmese Prime Minister Thein Sein’s praise of the East Asian nation’s “strengthening of the military capacities and economic construction” under Kim Jong Il’s leadership during a recent meeting with Pyongyang’s foreign minister Pak Ui Chun in Naypyidaw. On Saturday, the North Korean media also reported on Pak’s meeting with his counterpart Nyan Win in Naypyidaw, saying the two ministers exchanged views on the issue of boosting ties between the two countries as well as regional and international issues of mutual concern.
http://www.irrawaddy.org/article.php?art_id=19117
3. US-ROK Nuclear Talks
Yonhap (“S. KOREA, U.S. AGREE TO SEPARATE ‘PYROPROCESSING’ TECHNOLOGY FROM NUCLEAR REVISION TALKS: SOURCE”, Seoul, 2010/08/03) reported that the ROK and the United States have agreed to separate the issue of whether Seoul should be allowed to reprocess spent nuclear fuel via pyroprocessing from talks on revising their nuclear accord, a diplomatic source said Tuesday. On Monday, the two countries talked about how to deal with revising the nuclear pact and the pyroprocessing issue when Robert Einhorn, the State Department’s special adviser for nonproliferation and arms control, visited Seoul. Cho Hyun, Seoul’s deputy minister for multilateral and global affairs, proposed in a meeting with Einhorn that the two sides deal separately with the issues, which the U.S. envoy accepted, the source said.
http://english.yonhapnews.co.kr/news/2010/08/03/0200000000AEN20100803008000315.HTML
4. Cross Strait Relations
ROC Central News Agency (“REMOVE MISSILES BASED ON ’92 CONSENSUS’: PRESIDENTIAL SPOKESMAN”, Taipei, 2010/08/02) reported that Taiwan’s Presidential Office said Monday that Taiwan’s people will not accept Beijing’s call to remove its missiles targeted at Taiwan only after Taiwan accepts the “one China” principle. “It would be a crucial step toward advancing cross-strait relations if China would take the initiative to remove its missile based on the ‘1992 consensus’ reached between the two sides, ” Presidential spokesman Lo Chih-chiang said.
http://www.globalsecurity.org/wmd/library/news/taiwan/2010/taiwan-100802-cna02.htm
5. PRC Energy Security
People’s Daily Online (“EXPERT REFUTES DEMONIZATION OF CHINA’S ENERGY CONSUMPTION”, Beijing, 2010/08/02) reported that in 2009, the PRC’s energy consumption was in fact lower than the United States, and the United States’ per capita energy use was 4.5 times as much as the PRC’s, said Wang Zhen, dean of the China University of Petroleum’s School of Business Administration. Wang said that the PRC has made great contributions to and sacrificed some of its interests for stable energy supply and environmental protection. “However, some countries and international organizations still blame China for skyrocketing oil prices and urge China to bear the responsibility in the global energy sector,” Wang said.
http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90001/90778/90862/7089568.html