In a statement issued today by his spokesperson’s office, Mr. Ban applauded the move towards an inter-Korean exchange adding that he “sincerely hopes” that the DPRK authorities “positively consider the proposal and engage in dialogue.”
“The Secretary-General reiterates his belief that renewed engagement and dialogue is the only way forward for building trust and promoting inter-Korean relations,” the statement continued. “He will not spare any efforts to support such meaningful engagement.”
Just last month, the DPRK released two United States nationals, Kenneth Bae and Matthew Todd Miller, who had been sentenced to hard labour in the DPRK after their separate arrests in November 2012 and April 2014, respectively.
In a message following their release, Mr. Ban said the move had provided hope for “positive momentum” as international parties worked to bring peace to the Korean Peninsula, particularly following October talks between the two Koreas in which they had agreed to hold yet another round of high-level talks.
[un.org]
29/12/14
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UN chief urges North Korea to accept talks with Seoul ...
ReplyDeleteUN chief Ban Ki-moon on Monday welcomed a South Korean proposal to hold high-level talks with North Korea and urged Pyongyang to accept the offer.
Ban, a former South Korean foreign minister, said dialogue was the only way forward to build trust and promote relations on the peninsula, which has been divided since 1945.
Ban's spokesman said the secretary general "sincerely hopes that the Democratic People's Republic of Korea authorities positively consider the proposal and engage in dialogue.
"He will not spare any efforts to support such meaningful engagement."
Ryoo Kihl-Jae, the South's unification minister in charge of North Korean affairs, offered on Monday to hold the rare high-level talks in January, in Seoul or in the North's capital Pyongyang.
The last round of formal high-level talks was held in February and resulted in the North hosting a rare union of relatives separated by the conflict.
http://english.ahram.org.eg/News/119107.aspx
29/12/14