Seoul - North Korea agreed yesterday to attend preliminary peace talks in New York next week aimed at replacing an armistice for the 1950-53 Korean War with a permanent peace treaty.
North Korea, which ended speculation that it might boycott the latest talks, will also hold bilateral talks with the United States. "There was confirmation in Beijing today from deputy secretary Kartman and his counterpart that the North would attend the preparatory talks next week in New York as scheduled." US Assistant Secretary of State for East Asian and Pacific Affairs, Mr Stanley Roth, told a press conference.
Mr Roth was in Seoul for one day to meet the Unification Minister, Mr Kwon O-Kie, and Foreign Minister, Mr Yoo Chong-Ha. The US Assistant Secretary of State, Mr Charles Kartman, and the North Korean Vice-Foreign Minister, Mr Kim Gye-Gwan, met in Beijing and the two countries agreed to hold talks in New York for two days from September 18th.