Our principal position is that all countries have the right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes

The Korea Herald : The Nation's No.1 English Newspaper: "Roh backs N.K.'s peaceful use of nuclear energy


President Roh Moo-hyun yesterday expressed conditional support for North Korea's right to use nuclear energy for peaceful purposes.
The six-party talks aimed at ending Pyongyang's nuclear programs became deadlocked earlier this month because of differences over the North's demand that it be allowed to build nuclear power plants even if it disarms any nuclear weapons it may have. The United States wants the North to dismantle all nuclear programs.
"Our principal position is that all countries have the right to utilize nuclear energy for peaceful purposes," Cheong Wa Dae officials quoted Roh as saying at meeting with political editors of news organizations based in Seoul.
"North Korea also has that right if it gains trust from the international community," he added.
President Roh Moo-hyun speaks in a luncheon meeting with political editors of news organizations at Cheong Wa Dae yesterday. [The Korea Herald]
Roh didn't elaborate what conditions the North would have to meet to be allowed to run a civilian nuclear program.
On Aug. 11, Unification Minister Chung Dong-young said that if Pyongyang returns to the agreed conditions of the Non-Proliferation Treaty, it would qualify to have a civilian nuclear program.
He expressed optimism that countries involved in the nuclear talks can be more flexible and reach a compromise on the issue.
His remarks came as Foreign Minister Ban Ki-moon traveled to the United States to fine-tune positions over the nuclear issue. Ban will meet Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice on Aug. 23 ahead of the scheduled resumption of the talks in the week of Aug. 29.
The United States maintains its opposition to discussing North Korea's demand for peaceful nuclear programs, insisting the communist state must make a valid pledge to discard all nuclear programs and do so transparently.
On domestic issues, Roh said he will soon propose negotiations with opposition parties to discuss his proposal for a grand coalition government and for reforming the electoral system in an effort to end voter regionalism. The opposition Grand National Party has strongly rebuffed the proposal.
Roh proposed earlier this month that the GNP lead the formation of his envisioned unified governing system in return for cooperation on his initiative to change the electoral system.
The GNP rejected the proposal, accusing Roh of political maneuvering to help him retain presidential powers of office through a constitutional amendment.
For the past several months, Roh has expressed willingness to hand over his presidential powers if the opposition parties agreed to align with the ruling Uri Party and cooperate with his ideas for resolving political regionalism.
Roh wants to introduce medium and major-sized constituencies instead of the current single-member constituency system, in which the electorate selects one lawmaker in a designated small constituency. A medium or a major-sized constituency system would enhance the election chances of parties that are unpopular in certain regions.
"I will suggest official talks with the opposition soon about the coalition. I want the party to consider it more seriously and make a judgment not based on their own political calculations but for the greater interests of the nation," he said.
(angiely@heraldm.com)
By Lee Joo-hee
2005.08.19"