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North Korean leader Kim Jong-Il is making another push to restart nuclear
disarmament talks in the hopes of getting aid for his impoverished country.
China's state-run media Friday said the North Korean leader told a China's
State Counselor Dai Bingguo he was willing to go ahead with a nuclear test and
production ban without any preconditions.
The latest offer to restart six-party talks came during a visit to China's
Heilongjiang province as Mr. Kim makes his way back home after a visit to
Russia.
The North Korean leader's proposal echoes the offer he made Wednesday to
Russian President Dmitry Medvedev.
The United States and South Korea, which both participated in earlier
rounds of six-party negotiations, along with Russia, China and Japan, dismissed
that proposal as nothing new. Washington and Seoul have insisted for months that
the North must dismantle its nuclear programs before any further talks can take
place.
Mr. Kim left Russia for China Thursday, travelling in his armored
train.
The quick reports on Mr. Kim's discussions with Chinese officials are
unusual. China's state-run media normally reports on the North Korean leader's
visit only after he has left the country. |
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