The two-day talks between North Korea and the United States held in Geneva Sept. 1-2 have come to a successful close. The talks were part of a series of working-level discussions within the six-party framework, and it appears that the two sides have tentatively agreed to a timetable for commensurate measures to be taken by the United States in response to the second phase of North Korea’s denuclearization. Subsequently, it becomes more likely that the main six-party talks scheduled for the middle of this month and the six-nation foreign ministers’ meeting expected in October will go smoothly. This development also gives the summit between Korean President Roh Moo-hyun and U.S. President George W. Bush on Sept. 7, and the inter-Korean summit coming in early October, more room to work with.
핵문제 해결 기대높인 북-미 실무회의
스위스 제네바에서 이틀 동안 열린 북-미 관계 정상화 실무그룹 회의가 성공적으로 끝났다. 두 나라는 북한의 비핵화 2단계 조처와 미국의 상응조처를 조합한 시간표에 잠정 합의한 것으로 보인다. 이에 따라 이달 중순께 열릴 6자 회담 본회담과 다음달로 예상되는 6자 외무장관 회담 등 관련 일정이 순항할 가능성이 높아졌다. 7일로 예정된 한-미 정상회담과 다음달 초 남북 정상회담 또한 탄력을 받게 됐다.
【한겨레사설 8.29】
