NAPSNet Daily Report 28 October, 2010
Contents in this Issue:
1. DPRK on Nuclear Talks
Xinhua News (“SIX-PARTY TALKS DEPEND ON U.S. POSITION: DPRK MEDIA “, 2010/10/28) reported that leading media of the DPRK said the destiny of six-party talks and the future of denuclearizing the Korean Peninsula depends on the position of the US. Rodong Sinmun said in an article that although the concerned countries hope the six-party talks can be resumed as early as possible to create advantageous environment for the peace and stability of north-east Asia and the world, the ambition of the US to preempt a nuclear attack on the DPRK put hurdle to the settlement of nuclear issue on the peninsula. Constructing permanent peace system and denuclearizing the peninsula is the firm position of the DPRK, the article said. It is necessary to eliminate the nuclear threat from outside to denuclearize the peninsula, and the DPRK having access to nuclear deterrent is good for the stability and peace of the area.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-10/28/c_13579578.htm
2. US-DPRK Relations
Xinhua News (“DPRK, U.S. MAKE NO PROGRESS IN NEW TALKS ON “CHEONAN” CASE “, 2010/10/28) reported that the DPRK and the US had made no progress in talks on why a ROK warship sank in March, the official KCNA news agency reported Wednesday. The seventh round of senior colonel-level military talks were held in Panmunjom on Wednesday over the sinking, which South Korea has blamed on the DPRK. According to the KCNA, the DPRK strongly urged the U.S. to accept its previously suggested proposal of bringing evidence for the “Cheonan” case to Panmunjom to jointly verify it. “There is a limit to the patience of the army and people of the DPRK,” the DPRK side was quoted as saying.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-10/27/c_13578619.htm
3. PRC Military
Agence France-Presse (“CHINA NAVAL FLEET EXPANSION”, 2010/10/28) reported that the PRC is expanding its naval surveillance fleet to better protect its maritime rights, state media reported, amid bitter deep-sea territorial disputes with neighbouring nations. An official at the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), which oversees the pRC’s maritime rights, said an inspection ship had already joined the fleet and another 36 would be added later, the official China Daily newspaper said. The report said the latest ship — China Marine Surveillance 75 — would patrol the South China Sea, where Beijing has a number of territorial disputes over potentially resource-rich islands.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20101028/wl_asia_afp/chinaasiamaritimedispute_20101028065457
4. US-Japan Missile Defense Cooperation
Reuters (“JAPAN, US SET FOR JOINT MISSILE-DEFENSE TEST”, 2010/10/28) reported that a Japanese naval destroyer fitted with a Aegis ballistic missile defense system is set to carry out a flight-intercept test Thursday in cooperation with US forces, the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency said. The test, in Hawaiian waters, will focus attention on growing US missile-defense cooperation with Japan even as Washington urges its NATO allies to join in a NATO-wide shield. The test off the coast of Kauai in Hawaii is designed to show Japan’s ability to use a Raytheon SM-3 Block IA missile against a separating, medium-range ballistic missile target, the Pentagon’s Missile Defense Agency said.
http://www.reuters.com/article/idUSN2725024420101027
5. US-ROK Nuclear Cooperation
US Department of State (“DISCUSSIONS ON THE NEW U.S.-R.O.K. CIVIL NUCLEAR COOPERATION AGREEMENT”, 2010/10/27) reported that the United States and the Republic of Korea began discussions on writing the new civil nuclear cooperation agreement on October 25 in Washington, DC. The representatives of the two governments outlined their basic positions regarding negotiations and discussed the schedule and venue for continuing consultations for a new civil nuclear cooperation agreement. The two sides also discussed a proposed joint study of nuclear power reactor spent fuel disposition options, including pyroprocessing. They agreed that technical experts would meet soon to work out the scope of the study and the venue and schedule for completing it.
http://www.state.gov/r/pa/prs/ps/2010/10/150026.htm