French nuclear envoy meets SKorea FM before visit to NKorea
(7 Oct 2009) SHOTLIST 1. South Korea Foreign Minister Yu Myung-hwan meeting Jack Lang, French President Nicolas Sarkozy's special envoy for North Korea 2. Lang and Yu taking seats 3. Close of Yu 4. Close of Lang 5. Various of Yu and Lang in meeting 6. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jack Lang, France's special envoy to North Korea: "If it's effective (the fact that North Korea agrees to return to six-party talks) it's a good thing. If discussion is again open and I hope, if it is the case, it will be real and concrete discussions." 7. Close of reporters 8. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jack Lang, France's special envoy to North Korea: "We hope that it will be not only the opening of discussions, but it will be the way to change completely the situation. And in case North Korea accepts to interrupt its nuclear program, the way is open for new cooperation, economic and human cooperation with North Korea." 9. Zoom in to Yu and Lang talking 10. SOUNDBITE: (English) Jack Lang, Special envoy of France President Nicolas Sarkozy for North Korea: "It's impossible to accept this situation (a nuclear North Korea) which is not acceptable from international law. And we hope that discussions will open a way of a new dialogue." 11. Lang walking to media interview STORYLINE French envoy to North Korea, Jack Lang met South Korean Foreign Minister, Yu Myung-hwan on Wednesday ahead of his trip to North Korea to evaluate ways France can help end the standoff over the country's nuclear program. Lang, who arrived to Seoul on Tuesday, held a meeting with Yu on the second day of his visit. Following the meeting, Lang told reporters he believed a continuation of talks on the North's nuclear program under the six-nation framework could bring "real and concrete discussions." "In case North Korea accepts to interrupt its nuclear program, the way is open for new cooperation, economic and human cooperation with North Korea," Lang, a longtime Socialist government minister said. A statement from French President Nicolas Sarkozy's office last week said Lang would analyse under what circumstances France might establish relations with North Korea. Lang went to Cuba in March on a similar mission ordered by Sarkozy. North Korean state media reported on Tuesday that its leader Kim Jong Il offered to return to multinational disarmament talks in a renewed effort to draw Washington into one-on-one talks that the United States has yet to fully embrace. Kim Jong Il's offer reflects Pyongyang's desire for direct engagement with Washington. The administration of US President Barack Obama has said that might be possible but any talks should be part of the six-nation process aimed at ending the North's nuclear programs. Kim told visiting Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao on Monday that the North "is willing to attend multilateral talks, including the six-party talks, depending on the progress in its talks with the United States," China's Xinhua News Agency reported. Kim's comments were the clearest indication yet from Pyongyang that it might return to the talks from which it withdrew after conducting a rocket test in April and a second nuclear test in May. The regime said earlier it would never return to the multinational talks. The South's Yonhap news agency said South Korean and US authorities concluded the North is restoring its nuclear program after scrutinising about 10 atomic facilities since April when the North said it had restarted the program in anger over a UN rebuke of its rocket launch. North Korea agreed in 2007 to disable its nuclear facilities in return for international aid. Find out more about AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/HowWeWork Twitter: / ap_archive Facebook: / aparchives Instagram: / apnews You can license this story through AP Archive: http://www.aparchive.com/metadata/you...
