US ambassador calls on South Korea to link economic aid to nuclear talks
(AP)
Updated: 2005-12-12 14:48

The U.S. ambassador to South Korea called Monday on Seoul to link its economic cooperation with North Korea to progress at nuclear disarmament talks.

Meanwhile, South Korea's foreign minister said it was unlikely an informal meeting of the six countries involved in the arms talks would occur this month as Seoul had hoped.

U.S. Ambassador Alexander Vershbow, speaking at a policy forum in Seoul, cautioned South Korea on handing over technology that could help the North's military as it pursues its policy of reconciliation with North Korea.

"Despite our best efforts to engage with North Korea, and despite our best intentions, we cannot turn our faces away from the fact that North Korea remains a military threat, with over (a) million troops, a claim to possess nuclear weapons and near-total control of its own people," Vershbow said, according to a text of his comments provided by the embassy.

"While we are working to introduce market systems and international thinking to the North, we cannot make the mistake of transferring technologies that will end up increasing the North's military threat," he said.

Vershbow said Monday that the United States didn't oppose the South's cooperation with its neighbor, but added: "coordination of our efforts is necessary."

"We also see a need for coordination between economic cooperation and progress on the six-party talks," he said, referring to the nuclear negotiations.

North Korea has said it won't return to the nuclear talks until Washington lifts financial sanctions imposed for alleged illegal activity, including counterfeiting. The U.S. has said the issue is a matter of law unrelated to the nuclear talks.

South Korea had sought an informal meeting of the countries involved _ China, Japan, Russia, the United States and the two Koreas _ this month on its southern resort island of Jeju. But South Korean Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon, attending an Asian summit in Malaysia, said Monday that it would be "difficult" to hold such a session, noting the growing tension between Washington and Pyongyang.

Vershbow said the signals from the North on the nuclear issue weren't encouraging but hoped the nuclear talks could reconvene next month.

"It remains to be seen whether North Korea is truly prepared to eliminate its nuclear programs, and to do so in a prompt and verifiable manner," he said.

Recently, Washington has very publicly differed with Seoul over how to handle the North.

A visiting U.S. envoy last week called for South Korea to take a public stand on reported human rights abuses in the North, ending its silence that it has maintained out of security concerns. Also last week, Vershbow labeled the North a "criminal regime" _ a remark that drew criticism from South Korean officials as unhelpful, and a harsh tirade from Pyongyang that labeled it a declaration of war.